The Summoners
by Lady Harlequin
Summary: *EPILOGUE UP* An ancient prophecy connected to the Prophecy of the One Ring has foretold that in a time of dire need, two Summoners will rise from Other-Earth to aid Middle-Earth. This is their story. PLS R&R! *FIC CHALLENGE UP*
1. Prologue

The Summoners 

_By: Lady Harle_

_A "Lord of the Rings" Fanfic_

DISCLAIMER: The wonderful world of J.R.R Tolkien is NOT MINE, and never will be! I'm just borrowing the locations, characters, the plot and some of the words themselves so I can play around with them (especially Legolas drool). I also borrowed some ideas from various animes, particularly Fushigi Yuugi, Rurouni Kenshin, and Magic Knight Rayearth. Once again, I'm just using them so I can have some fun. Any and all original characters and situations are MINE.

NOTE: Words in ^^ are spoken in Elvish.

WARNING TO PURISTS: If you are a Tolkien purist who believes that this story must have some basis on The Silmarillion and the other works of Tolkien that relate to the world of LOTR, then I am sad to say that you may be disappointed with this story. I haven't read The Silmarillion yet, so the "creation" of Middle-Earth might be different from that stated in The Silmarillion. If you wish to read this, I beg you to please have an open mind, as this comes from the mind of a person who has only started to read the wonderful works of Tolkien.

THE LEGOLAS ISSUE: There are two kinds of Legolas: Movie Legolas and Book Legolas. Movie Legolas is Orlando Bloom looker with blonde hair and blue eyes. Book Legolas is…well, I can't really tell you WHO he looks like but he sure ain't no blonde. If you need further proof on that, read "The Fellowship of the Rings", Book II, Chapter IX "The Great River". But for this story I'll be using Movie Legolas. Why? Because I have a weakness for blonde hair and light-colored eyes ^_^. And because Orlando Bloom makes one hot Elf. 

SEPARATIONS: Paragraphs separated by (*   *   *) mean a change in POV. Paragraphs separated by (~   ~   ~) mean a flashback. Paragraphs separated by (*   ~   *) mean that there is a dream sequence going on.

EMAIL: ladyharley2002@hotmail.com

SUMMARY: This Tale begins with some events that were not chronicled in the History of Middle-Earth. This concerns mostly HOW the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth were awakened, and how the Elven-Kingdom of Mirkwood ended up with such an unusual Queen. It tells the Tale of the two unsung HEROINES of the War of the Rings: the two Summoners of Other-Earth. They are Eli and Camille, two friends from another realm, who have crossed the vast reaches of time and space to aid the Fellowship in their Quest to destroy the One Ring of Power. 

Prologue 

_Three Rings for the Elven Kings under the sky,_

_Seven for the Dwarf Lords in their halls of stone,_

_Nine for mortal Men, doomed to die,_

_One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne_

_In the land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie,_

_One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them_

_One Ring to bring them all, and in the Darkness bind them,_

_In the land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie_

_But from the Other-World they shall rise_

_Seeking to challenge the Dark Lord_

_Summoners of Spirits, they shall rise_

_Seeking to challenge the Dark Lord_

_Bound by friendship strong and true,_

_Make the sky change its hue_

_From dark and cold to light and warm_

_They shall lead all through the storm._

_Fairer than any yet to be seen,_

_One shall become a mighty Queen,_

_And the other, meant for greatness,_

_Shall receive honor of no less_

_Dragons bow at their command,_

_Great is the power in their hand,_

_As the darkness grows ever deeper,_

_So shall Spirits rise from slumber_

_~ "Prophecy of the Summoners", translated from the Elvish by Camille Selvitar_


	2. Chapter One: An Unpredicted Situation

Chapter One: An Unpredicted Situation 

Camille skittered down the halls, clutching her books to her chest as she searched high and low for her friend. She peeked into classrooms, and even looked behind cabinets, to see where her friend was hiding, but it was futile. 

She grimaced. _Jeez, where could that girl have gone?! She climbed up the stairs to the next floor, hoping that she'd be able to find her there. She searched, and once again, couldn't find any sign of her. __Eli! Where the hell are you?!?!?!_

After scouring the campus from top to bottom, Camille threw her hands up with a sigh, and shook her head. "She must have left already," she muttered to herself. _Stupid, stupid girl! How could she LEAVE me like this!_

Camille was thinking some pretty dark thoughts (mostly ways on how she would exact revenge from Eli the next time she saw her) while she was walking towards the school gate, but when she got there, she noticed a familiar figure standing near the exit. It was a girl, with longish black-brown hair, a rather narrow face, slightly almond-shaped hazel eyes, and rather thin lips, clad in the same white blouse and blue plaid skirt that she was wearing. She frowned, and lifted her hand in the air, calling the girl's name. "Eli!"

*      *      *

Eli looked up the moment she heard a familiar voice call her name, and noticed a girl with braided reddish-brown hair, an oval face, rather wide dark brown eyes, and lips that were slightly fuller at the bottom than at the top come running towards her. She smiled at the girl. "Camille."

Camille huffed and puffed for a moment from her obvious exertion, then she looked up at her, brown eyes flashing. "So THIS was where you were all this time! Do you have any idea how much trouble I've gone through to look for you?! I thought you were still inside!"

Eli smirked. "Didn't I tell you to meet me outside after class? What were you looking for me inside for?"

Camille's jaw dropped wide open. "WHAT?!?!? But I thought you told me to-"

Eli shook her head, and sighed. "Same old Camille, always assuming things. If you don't change that habit of yours, it might get you in trouble one day."

Camille spluttered with indignation, but Eli just ignored it. She turned on her heel, and headed out the gate. "Come on, we ought to be getting on out of here."

The two of them walked in silence for sometime, just sharing the pleasant silence of companionship. Best friends since forever, the two of them had grown up together, since Eli lived just across the street from Camille, and their parents were good friends too. For almost all their lives, they had been together, even though they were as opposite as fire and ice.

_Fire and ice indeed…Eli mused as she gave a sideways glance at her friend, who was gazing with a smile at the sunset ahead of them. While Camille was talkative, cheerful, and optimistic, Eli was cold, morose, and pessimistic. They may have been opposites, but it is said that opposites attract, and, as in their case, it was true. Their opposing personalities balanced each other out. Eli prevented Camille from making rash decisions, while Camille made her lighten up occasionally. _

Suddenly, Camille spoke up. "Hey, look." She pointed at a little path that led off into a wooded area. "That lies on our way, doesn't it? Why don't we take a shortcut home?"

Eli gazed at the path, and then at the way it threaded through the woods. There was still plenty of light left, and it wouldn't get dark until a few more hours. They had lots of time to make it back. Smiling slightly at her best friend, she said, "Sure, let's go."

Camille grinned broadly, and walked down the path ahead of her. "Let's go!"

*      *      *

Camille continued to walk down the path, whistling a little song to herself as she strolled along. She was in no hurry, and neither was she afraid, even as the woods started to turn into a forest, blocking most of the sunlight from above.

At first, she didn't suspect anything, just continued on walking. And walking, and walking, and walking…

It was only then that she began to feel that something was not right. _Why does the path seem to go on and on? We should be on the other side by now. She started to turn around slowly, looking for Eli. "Hey Eli, where do you think we-"_

Eli was not there.

Now Camille felt afraid. The forest suddenly seemed much darker and forbidding than it had when she first saw it, and the path by which she had walked wasn't there anymore. _Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?! She turned to the front, trying to source out the rest of the trail, but realized, with utter shock, that it wasn't there anymore. It seemed to have just melted away into the shrubs and bushes that now seemed to sprout from everywhere._

Camille clutched her books tightly to herself as she looked around her, as if expecting something menacing to leap out at her from the trees. Every little rustle of the leaves and every little bit of movement made her jump. She withdrew into herself, scared. _Oh God, oh God, oh God…_

She heard footfalls in the distance, and she somehow perked up a bit. _Eli! With a happy smile, she raced towards the sound, calling out her friend's name. "Eli! Eli! Oh thank God you're here, I almost thought that you had gone back without telling me!"_

However, as she neared the figure, she realized that it was NOT Eli. The figure was too tall, and too broad along the shoulders to be that of her best friend. Nonetheless, she was curious about this person, so she walked even closer. "Excuse me…"

But then, the figure stepped into a small puddle of light that still penetrated the forest canopy, and what Camille beheld made her blood freeze in her veins. The figure she had thought was Eli was a hideously ugly creature, with dark mottled skin, a face that looked like it had come out of a month-old grave, and carried with it a menacing-looking sword.

For a moment, all time stopped, and Camille just stared at this horrible being in front of her, appalled by such an ugly thing. But then, the creature gave a long, bloodcurdling cry, and that caused Camille to jump out of her stupor as a scream tore itself loose from her throat. She turned away from the thing, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, not caring anymore which way she went, as long as she didn't ram headlong into any trees. 

Tears trickled down her face as she ran, the liquid coursing off her cheeks and leaving a gently glimmering trail behind her that glittered for a while, then faded away just as quickly. The thing was following her, she knew, and she had only one thing in her mind. _I don't want to die…_

Through the trees, she thought she could see the edge of a clearing, and her heart soared. It was better to get to some wide-open space where she could actually SEE the thing than have it chase her like this through the forest. At least she had some hope of striking at it with a kick or a punch if it got too close. However, she ground to a halt when she reached the edge of the clearing, and to her dismay, was greeted by a high, smooth cliff face. She was cornered.

She heard the footsteps again, and she let loose a cry of anguish and defeat as the creature came stalking towards her, its sword raised. As she backed up against the cliff, she looked at the weapon, and realized that it had painful-looking spikes near the top of it. It was truly a weapon made for murder.

The creature let out a loud howl, and Camille closed her eyes, waiting for it to strike her dead. A thunderbolt of pain came crashing through her shoulder, and she felt the sword rasp against the bones of her shoulder blade till the stone of the cliff she was leaning against stopped it.

She felt immense pain from every part of her body, her nerves screaming in protest. _Why didn't it go for my heart? Why didn't it kill me quickly? She opened her eyes in spite of the pain, and watched a figure lean over her, a tall being with golden-blonde hair falling down in streams. This certainly wasn't the creature that attacked her. For some odd reason, Camille didn't fear this being. In fact, she felt almost…safe, comfortable, as though nothing could harm her as long as this stranger was with her._

A voice echoed to her as she started to lose her grip on reality. "You are safe with me, lady. I will do you no harm."

Camille smiled slightly. "I figured that ages ago. I can trust you." She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open for much longer.

The voice spoke to her again, more urgently this time. "Fight it, My Lady! Be strong! Do not go! There are healers where I am from, skilled enough to heal this grievous wound of yours and remove the poison! All I ask of you is to fight it until I can get you to my homeland!"

Though it took all her strength, Camille shook her head. "It's okay, I'll…be just fine. I…I just want to sleep for a while." She leaned her head against something soft and warm, feeling right at home. "I trust you." 

And with that, she fell into the waiting arms of slumber.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Mwahahaha! Camille is in DEEP trouble! The smart ones out there might have figured out already what that "creature" was (it's an Orc), but who do you think is Camille's mysterious rescuer?! Find all of that and more in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter Two: A Beautiful Stranger

Chapter Two: A Beautiful Stranger 

Legolas urged his horse onwards, one arm held tightly around the precious burden he carried with him, while his free hand lightly touched the horse's neck. ^Onwards, my friend! We must reach Mirkwood before she fades away into the land of spirits! Do not stop!^

The horse whinnied, and ran even faster, the ground and scenery becoming mere blurs to Legolas' eyes. He glanced at the girl, and realized that her breath was becoming shallow and rapid. The wound in her shoulder was beginning to turn. He closed his eyes, determined. _I cannot – I WILL NOT – let her die!_

Memories flashed into his mind, as he recalled the events of a few moments ago…

~      ~      ~

He had been walking around the borders of Mirkwood since morning, looking out for any Orcs. He had heard rumors that a small troop of them had been spotted in the thick forest surrounding Mirkwood, and he went out to confirm the rumors. But after spending almost the entire day there and finding nothing, he decided to turn back, and return to the palace. 

It was then that he had heard the scream. _What was that?! He immediately turned to the source of the sound, and noticed a streak of white and royal blue flash between the trees. This sight was almost immediately followed by the sound of an Orc's battle cry._

Knowing that something was terribly wrong, he followed the white-and-blue streak that he had seen, taking care not to be seen by the Orc that was following it. The streak stopped the moment it hit the dead end cliff at the northeastern end of the wood, and whirled around.

Legolas' breath caught in his throat. From his vantage point at the top branches of an elm tree, he suddenly realized that he was looking upon the most beautiful sight in his entire life.

It was a young girl, physically no older than sixteen or seventeen, with large haunting brown eyes and long – albeit disheveled – brown hair run through with streaks of red. Her oval face was pale with fright, and her lips would have probably been a lovely light pink had she not been so scared. Her long lashes were wet with her tears, and Legolas almost thought it impossible for a girl – mortal or otherwise – to have lashes as long as the ones she had.

A bloodcurdling cry suddenly tore through the air, snapping him back to reality. He realized that the Orc was closing in on the hapless girl, who had now turned away and closed her eyes, awaiting what she thought was her death.

Legolas would not stand for it. He immediately strung an arrow in his bow, took aim, and shot. The arrow found its mark, piercing the Orc right through the throat. The creature stumbled forward; its blade poised out, and managed to bury its sword in the girl's right shoulder. She screamed in pain, and slowly slipped to the ground.

He cursed to himself as he leapt down from the tree, and swiftly walked towards the injured girl. He didn't care anymore about the Orc; he was certain that it was dead. What was most important was the victim of the blade it carried.

He grasped the hilt of the sword, and with one swift motion, so as to make it less painful, pulled it out. His mind became numb when he saw just what kind of a blade it was. It had four long spikes set near the tip, making them branch out like horns. Only one word entered his mind when he saw it. _Brutal. _

The smell of blood was everywhere. Normally, it wouldn't have sickened him, but the thought that it was an innocent person's blood – and a girl's at that – sent his stomach turning with guilt and regret. _This is all my fault! I should have chosen a better time to shoot…_

_But then the girl would have ended up dead. He bent down over her, cradling her in his arms, trying to stave off the bleeding. "You are safe with me, lady," he told her, using the Common Speech to tell her his intentions. "I will do you no harm."_

The girl looked up at him, and he felt himself give a slight jerk when her melting brown pools met his gleaming blue eyes. Her pale ashen lips curled up slightly in a smile, even as her eyelids started to slide shut. "I figured that ages ago. I trust you."

_No! You cannot go now, not when I am so close to saving you! No! He glanced at the wound, and realized that the flesh was turning into a strange blue-black color rimmed with a greenish hue near the edges. The blade had been poisoned. He shook her gently, trying to keep her awake as he lifted her into his arms. "Fight it My Lady! Be strong! Do not go! There are healers where I am from, skilled enough to heal this grievous wound of yours and remove the poison! All I ask of you is to fight it until I can get you to my homeland!"_

She shook her head slowly, as if by doing so, she was consuming what little remained of the strength in her body. She spoke then, her voice soft and tremulous, "It's okay, I'll...be just fine. I…I just want to sleep for a while." She leaned her head against his chest, and spoke three words that warmed Legolas' heart. "I trust you."

Legolas shut his eyes as well as he got onto his horse, clutching the now unconscious girl close to him. _And I shall not betray that trust, My Lady. Not as long as I live and breathe! He leaned closer to the ears of his horse, and whispered, ^Let us go! Let us ride back home! Be swift, we do not have much time to waste!^_

The horse neighed, and galloped off through the forest, towards Mirkwood, and salvation for the beautiful stranger his master held in his arms.

~      ~      ~

At long last, the horse burst through the trees, and entered the courtyard in front of the palace of the Elvenking of Mirkwood. Several Elves rushed to greet the Prince, and all were startled to see him carrying a sorely injured mortal girl.

Legolas had no time to waste. He jumped off his horse, letting the stable hands do their work, and rushed to his room in the palace, ignoring the queries of the other Elves as he walked. _No time, no time… He entered his bedchamber, and laid the girl upon the large bed, making sure that he did not shift the injured shoulder too much. _

^What happened here, Your Highness?^

Legolas looked up, and found himself gazing at Galmir, the Chief Healer in the House of Thranduil. ^An Orc stabbed her using a four-pronged sword. As you can see, the blade was poisoned, and the poison is acting swiftly.^ His face became creased with worry. ^Is there any hope that she will recover?^

Galmir stepped forward. ^Allow me, Your Highness.^ He carefully unbuttoned the girl's upper garment, revealing the thin cloth shift she wore beneath. Slowly pushing the shoulder off, he revealed the true extent of the injury.

Legolas winced. The blade had gone clear through skin, muscle and bone, leaving a ragged wound behind. The blood had started to clot already over the injury, as was natural, but the poison still remained. He glanced at Galmir, and noticed the Elf's serious expression. ^Can she yet be saved?^

Galmir sighed, and turned to the Prince. ^We shall do our best, Your Highness. We are not making any promises…^

^Promise me then,^ Legolas insisted. ^Promise me that you will do everything within your power to keep her alive.^ He turned his gaze to the mysterious girl's face, his voice growing a notch softer. ^I made a promise to her that she would live, and I do not intend to have it broken now.^

Galmir nodded sagely, wisely. ^That I will do, Your Highness. We shall aid you in keeping your promise to the lady. But now, you must leave us to do our work. His Majesty has many questions he wishes to ask of you concerning this…matter.^ He glanced pointedly at the girl in the bed, who was by now almost completely hidden by the other healers.

Legolas nodded, though he wished he didn't have to leave the girl behind like that. He turned, and walked out of his room, the healers closing the doors behind him that they may do their work in private. Sighing, he leaned against the wooden door, trying to recuperate. Now that the girl was safely inside with the healers, the many emotions and questions that he had had no time to think about before finally caught up with him. _Who is she, he wondered, __and what was she doing so deep in Mirkwood? Men don't normally go in there unless they knew that they could get here…_

But then, he remembered that his father wished to speak with him. He straightened up, and walked towards the throne room, preparing himself for the questions his father was most likely to ask.

*      *      *

^You requested for my presence, Father?^

King Thranduil, ruler of Northern Mirkwood, looked up from his thoughts the moment he heard the voice of his son. He smiled when he noticed Legolas walk into the room. ^Ah, so you have arrived! There are many things that we need to talk about.^

Legolas stood before him, and nodded. ^I am ready to answer your questions, Father.^

Thranduil gazed at his son for a long time. The youngest of three brothers, Legolas was the last child Thranduil and his wife, Iluvirwel, had before the latter left for the Gray Havens and went across the Sea to the land of Eressea. He was also, by far, the handsomest of the three brothers, and the most popular, considering Legolas' reputation with the Elf-maids of Mirkwood and even Rivendell. ^Legolas, what happened? You left this morning with no companion save your horse, and when you return you have a young lady with you.^

Like he expected, his son spoke truthfully, missing out no details. ^I was on my way back here from patrolling the borders, when I saw an Orc chasing a young maiden dressed in white and blue. I followed them for a while, while trying to ascertain that there were no other Orcs present. The girl ran towards the dead end cliff to the northeast, and the Orc trapped her there. I shot at the creature, but as it stumbled forward, it managed to bury its blade into the maiden's right shoulder.^ He turned away, frowning. ^It was my fault. If I had shot the Orc earlier, then perhaps she would not have been injured so gravely.^

Thranduil shook his head at his son. ^It was not your fault, Legolas. You merely followed your judgment.^ He smiled kindly at his son. ^Keep faith, Legolas. Events such as these often have ways of turning out right in the end. Just keep your faith.^

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, that's done! Oh yeah, Legolas is IN DA HOUSE!!!!! I just ADORE Orlando Bloom as Legolas… I watched "Black Hawk Down", and I just couldn't get to like him with his crew cut and all… He will forever remain in my mind as Legolas, and Legolas only. I will have a hard time liking him if he portrays any other character ever again! Anyway, for those of you who wonder what happened to Eli, the next chapter will explain everything to you! See ya there!


	4. Chapter Three: On the Other Side of the ...

Chapter Three: On the Other Side of the Earth 

Eli looked up from her book, suddenly aware that she no longer felt Camille's presence. _Huh? She glanced at the path ahead of her, and sure enough, she wasn't there._

_Hmmm, where could that girl have gone? She looked behind, intending to head back to the street they started from, but realized that the path had disappeared. __What?! She looked forward again, and found that the path was gone too._

She cursed under her breath. _Stupid me! Why didn't I check every so often if I was going the wrong way?! This is DEFINITELY the last time I'm going to read while I walk! She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small compass. She placed it on her palm, and held it out in front of her._

The red needle twisted and dipped, and at long last pointed east. 

Eli sighed. _So I'm heading east. Not that bad; if I go straight then I ought to end up at home. She frowned. __But what about Camille? She thought a bit, then shrugged. __She might have gotten there ahead of me. The next time I see her, I SWEAR I'm going to strangle her for leaving me out here alone! This is the LAST time I follow her shortcuts!_

She continued to walk, setting a course for the east. She tried to think happy thoughts, most of them dealing with her eventual revenge on Camille. However, she cut her thoughts short when she heard a rustling from her left.

Eli whirled around, her muscles tense. She had had some training in kendo and ninjitsu, so her reflexes and senses were above those of an ordinary person. She could sense that there were several figures around her, and the aura they radiated was not pleasant.

_What could they be? Bears? Or wolves? Eli mused to herself as the rustling got stronger. If it was a bear, she knew that she could outrun it before it caught up to her. If it was a wolf, she could just as easily climb a tree where it couldn't reach her. _

But it was neither a bear nor a wolf that was after her. Several man-like figures stepped into the dimming afternoon sun. Though they were human in posture and outline, their faces and their skin immediately told Eli otherwise. They looked like corpses dug up from an old grave, and their faces were hideous and gruesome. 

One of them let out a loud howl that was so frightening that it made even Eli step back and wince. _Uh-oh. I am SO in trouble! She turned on her heel, and sprinted away, hoping that those…those…THINGS wouldn't be able to catch her._

She could hear them running after her as she crashed through the brush, twigs and leaves getting caught in her hair, while brambles and thorns cut against her skin and made it bleed with numerous scratches. But she couldn't give a damn about it all. _I only want to make it out of here…ALIVE!!!!_

She saw light up ahead. She smiled, her strength renewed. She forced her aching legs to go just a bit farther. _Just a little bit more…_

She reached the edge, and realized that she was standing on the bank of a shallow river. Deciding that now was not the time to worry about getting wet, she crossed the waters as quickly as she could. She had made it across just before the monsters that were chasing her managed to grab her by her hair. She watched them as they glowered at her for a while, then slunk back into the shadows of the trees.

Eli stood at the opposite bank, panting out of exertion. She wasn't used to pushing her body like this, and it made her chest hurt. She placed a hand against it, trying to steady the rhythm of her heart, but it was no use. She fell to her knees, weakened suddenly. She tried to pull air into her lungs, but it was no use. It just wasn't enough.

"Oh heaven help me!" she cried softly as she slumped forward involuntarily. She thought that no one would hear her. But a hand reached out, and clutched her arm, steadying her and preventing her from falling face down onto the pebbles of the riverbank. She tried to look at her savior, but fatigue overtook her before she could get a chance.

*      *      *

Elrohir's other hand shot out as he caught the now unconscious girl, his right hand on her arm, and the left around her waist. Slowly, so as not to rouse her, he lifted her up into his arms, and carried her back to where his twin brother, Elladan, and their horses were waiting.

^What has happened, brother?^ Elladan asked as Elrohir mounted his horse, placing the girl in front of him on the saddle. 

Elrohir grasped the reins before he answered. ^Orcs were chasing her out of the forest. She crossed the Bruinen as quickly as she could, and the Orcs stopped the moment she had reached the opposite bank. I suppose they knew that if they went any further, Father's power would drown them.^ He smirked slightly. ^Or perhaps they feared that I would kill them even if they did not cross the river.^

Elladan chuckled. ^'Tis not fair for you to have all the fun, my brother. I too wish to slaughter some Orcs. It is much too bad that they did not dare to cross.^

Elrohir nodded, a smile forming on his face. ^It does not matter right now, though. This girl is more important.^ He gazed down at the maiden in his arms at that moment. Long black-brown hair, a somewhat narrow face, thin lips, and long lashes. _Beautiful…_

Elladan brought his horse up next to his, and eyed the sleeping maiden. ^She is wearing rather strange clothing. I wonder where she is from.^

Elrohir laughed. ^You are much too curious for your own good sometimes, my brother. We will learn more about her later on. For now, we must get her to our sister and to Father.^

Elladan nodded in agreement, and the two spurred their horses towards Rivendell.

*      *      *

Arwen Evenstar, only daughter of Elrond of Rivendell, waited for her brothers to come from the west, gazing out towards the direction of the ford.

At long last, the galloping of horses' hooves sounded in the distance, and two figured on horseback broke through the trees. Arwen stood up, and smiled. _They have returned._

She walked down the steps towards the stables, and all that watched admired her as she passed. Tall and graceful, with soft wavy brown locks and eyes of silver-gray, she was indeed the fairest of all the Elves, said to have been a reincarnation of Luthien the Fair herself.

Arwen stopped walking the moment Elrohir and Elladan approached her. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that Elrohir was carrying a girl in his arms. ^Elrohir, who is this?^

Elrohir shook his head as he continued to walk. ^Even I do not know myself, sister. She was being chased by Orcs near the Bruinen, and only managed to cross the river in time. I tried to speak with her, but she fainted before I could get a single word out.^

Arwen nodded. ^I see.^ She looked at her brothers. ^Come, take her to my chambers. I will see to her healing in the meantime.^ She paused, a more grievous thought coming to mind. ^Did the Orcs do her harm?^

^No, we do not think so. Aside from the scratches and her fatigue, there is nothing serious,^ Elladan answered, but a frown crossed his face immediately. ^Of course, we do not know what else may have happened to her before we saw her.^

Arwen nodded, and did not say any more. Soon, they arrived at her chambers. Elrohir lay the strange girl on the bed, and stood up after gazing at her for a while. ^Arwen, shall I tell Father of what has happened here?^

^Yes, please do. That would be a good idea,^ Arwen replied. 

Her brothers nodded, and they left the room, closing the door behind them. With them gone, Arwen sighed, and turned to the maiden her brothers had rescued. She was most certainly a mortal, that she could be sure of. _But what mortal wears such strange clothing? I have not seen such kind of fashion anywhere yet. _

With this thought, Arwen fingered the edge of the girl's skirt. It was made of a soft but somewhat rough material, and its main color was blue, but it had threads of red, yellow, green and white woven through it, forming a pattern of squares across the blue. For her upper garment, the girl was dressed in a plain white blouse with a collar and buttons down the middle, made of a thin cloth that definitely would not do in the cooler climes of the North. And then Arwen noticed a symbol on the left collar, embroidered in blue, red, and yellow threads. It was heart-shaped, with a crown at the top surmounting a cross. Beneath that was a red and yellow tongue of fire, scattering rays of light over an open book with a writing quill on top of its pages. There were numbers beneath the book, and they read "1981". There were words written around the heart, as well as in a scroll-like banner beneath it, but she could not understand them very well, as the color of the blue thread in which they were sewn had nearly faded into white, matching the cloth of the collar. 

Arwen gazed at the sleeping face of the mortal on her bed, and she wondered, _Who are you? Why are you here? And what does your coming portend?_

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Whoo-hoo, another chapter finished! Wow, I seem to be turning these things out pretty quickly, at a rate of around…one chapter every one and a half days! Of course, it helps that I've got the books (including "The Hobbit" and "The Book of Lost Tales I") and the soundtrack. Anyway, on to the next chapter! We return to Mirkwood, and it seems that our OTHER victim has just awakened, after a sleep of…FIVE DAYS?!?!?! Now that she's awake, what will happen to our Prince Legolas, who is quite evidently smitten by her? And what sort of questions will need answering? Find out in Chapter Four! See ya!


	5. Chapter Four: Too Many Questions, and To...

Chapter Four: Too Many Questions, and Too Little Answers 

Camille opened her eyes slowly, and groaned. _Ugh, what the heck happened to me? She tried to sit up, but a massive lightning bolt of pain ripped through her right side. "YEOUCH!!!!" She collapsed onto the soft mountain of feather pillows that lay beneath her head, gasping for breath. __Oh my God, that REALLY hurt…_

"You must not move so much, My Lady. Though the poison is gone from your body now, the wound still remains. If you do not relax, it will open up again."

Camille jerked when she heard the sound. _That voice…where did I hear it before? Memory crashed through her mind, and she recalled where she had heard it before. __Of course! When that monster stabbed me in the shoulder, that voice was the one that told me I was safe! She looked to her left, and her eyes widened with shock and pleasant surprise. __Holy…_

A young man of around twenty or twenty-one sat in the chair beside her. He looked tall – around six feet or so in height – and had a grace and elegance about him that told her he was well brought up and had excellent manners. He had long blonde hair that he wore partially tied back in a half-ponytail, while the rest trailed down the front of his shirt, with two little braids to match. His eyes were a beautiful deep blue, and held within them laughter and wisdom far beyond his years. His cheekbones were high and well defined, while his lips, though thin, had a smile upon them that could make anyone feel reassured and welcome. 

But the most unusual feature about him was his ears. They were pointed towards the tips, like the ears of an… _Elf, Camille thought. __But Elves don't exist in the real world…do they?_

Camille stared at this man, and could feel her cheeks become a little hot from her blushes. _Could this have been the guy who saved me from that monster? She couldn't think it possible that a person as…handsome (pointed ears notwithstanding)…as he would come to the rescue of one such as her…_

The man spoke again, his voice a light tenor laced with a strange accent Camille couldn't identify. "You must be startled to see me here, My Lady. If you have forgotten, it was I who rescued you from the Orc."

Camille nodded, suddenly dazed. "Yeah, I know. I remember the sound of your voice…" However, her mind was spinning. _Orc?! That thing that tried to kill me was an ORC?!?! Where THE HELL am I?!?!?! She inched away from the man, pulling the blankets up over her body. __Just who the heck is he anyway?! "Who are you?"_

The man chuckled softly, not in an unkind manner, but one that showed amusement at her sudden suspicion. "Forgive me for my rudeness, My Lady. I am Legolas, son of King Thranduil, ruler of Mirkwood. If you wish to know where you are, you are in my chambers, where you have slept for the past five days."

Camille gasped involuntarily. "Five…days?! I've been knocked out for THAT long?!?!" She turned away, gripping the blankets more tightly. It was only then that she realized that they were not the regular cloth blankets, but thick fur ones lined with cloth on the inside. "I don't believe it…"

Prince Legolas spoke again, the sound of his voice, so calm and open, making Camille gradually lose her suspicion of him. "I am afraid so, My Lady." He smiled brightly when she turned to him. "Now that you do not fear me so much, would it be alright for me to know your name?"

Camille blushed, and ducked her head, avoiding his deep blue stare. "Oh yeah, I'm sorry about that. My name's Camille, Camille Selvitar."

Prince Legolas nodded, his smile never fading. "Camille… Selvitar…" He said her name slowly, as if tasting each syllable, and loving every minute of it. His accent made her name sound very exotic, like a mantra or a chant from some distant land. 

Camille nodded. "Yes, Camille Selvitar. Just call me Camille; I'm more comfortable with that name." She smiled brightly, managing to recover a part of her cheekiness in spite of all the shocks – physical or otherwise – that she had suffered. "And please, no titles. I wasn't born into the nobility, you know. I'm just an ordinary girl, who TRIED to live an ordinary life…until that freaking Orc or whatever it was chased me here and nearly killed me." She sighed dramatically. "I never wanted a boring life, but THAT was too much of a thrill for me."

Prince Legolas laughed a little at her joke, before he stood up from his chair, and bowed to her. "It was a pleasure to have talked with you, but I must leave you now for the meantime. There are a few things that I must attend to."

Camille smiled, and waved her hand. "Don't let me keep you. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon." She paused for a moment, then added, "Oh yeah, and thank you, Prince Legolas. I owe you my life now."

The Prince smiled at her gently, then nodded once in acknowledgement before turning around, and closing the door behind him.

*      *      *

Legolas leaned against the door of his rooms, his eyes closed as he tried to remember the face of pure beauty that had been sitting right in front of him only minutes ago. For the first time in five days, he had once again gotten the opportunity to gaze into her eyes, and he knew that he would never know any other gaze aside from hers. _Never have I known or seen true beauty until I beheld her…_

Her hair fell from her head in auburn rivulets, not wavy like the hair of most Elf-maidens, but straight and shining. Her pale skin had regained the glow it surely had before she had been injured, and her lips were now a dark pink. They were not light, like Legolas had expected, but rosier and had a deeper tint. Of course, he was used to seeing a lighter shade amongst the Elf-maidens, but the girl resting in his chambers was certainly no Elf. Elves didn't and couldn't have the gorgeous brown of her eyes, or the extravagantly long lashes that surrounded them, or the delicate fullness of her lips…

Legolas sighed, and clenched his hands into fists, trying to regain control of himself. It was wrong of him to think of his guest that way. _She is an honored guest, to be respected and esteemed not only in words and actions, but in thoughts as well. But, he wondered, how could he not think of her in such ways if every little thing about her haunted his mind everywhere he went…_

A smile appeared on his face as he walked towards the throne room to tell his father of the news. As he walked down the halls, he kept recalling the way she looked when she gave him her name. _Camille Selvitar…a mysterious and exotic name for an equally mysterious and exotic woman…_

It didn't take him long to get to the throne room. His father was there like always, talking with someone about the affairs of the kingdom. It was only then that Legolas noticed Galmir speaking to his father, and he realized that his sire probably knew that Camille was awake already.

As Galmir departed, Thranduil looked up at him, and smiled. ^It would seem that your guest has awakened, my son.^

Legolas nodded. ^Indeed she has, Father. I was beginning to worry myself that she would not be able to rouse herself from the world of dreams, even if her body had been completely healed.^

Thranduil chuckled as he stood up, and walked down from the dais upon which his throne stood to his son. ^Fortunately, we will not be needing Lord Elrond's help in waking her.^ His face became bemused as he gazed out of the window towards the forest. ^Galmir tells me that she is a strong girl…stronger than any mortal girl he has encountered. She clung to her life with an incredible tenacity. If what he says is true, then there are few like her who walk the face of Middle-Earth, and if there are any, they are yet to be born.^

Legolas nodded slowly. ^You speak truly, Father. However, I doubt if there are any who are like her, whether they are of those who have died, or who still live, or even who are to come. She is too…singular.^

He did not notice the twinkle of amusement in his father's eyes. ^Speak to me of this matter, Legolas. You are the first person to whom she has spoken. What do you know of her?^

^She says her name is Camille Selvitar. She claims that she is not of the nobility, and she insisted that I stop calling her 'Lady'.^ Legolas turned to face his father. ^I do not know what to make of her. Her name is completely different from the ones I am accustomed to hearing, and yet it does not sound like a name amongst Men, Dwarves or even Orcs. It sounds like something from another world.^

Thranduil's eyes narrowed slightly, a look that Legolas had not seen in his father before. He was more used to seeing him smile and be lighthearted, not grave like he was now. He seemed to be voicing his thoughts out loud when he spoke. ^From another world…Other-Earth, perhaps?^ He stopped his muttering, and glanced at him, blue eyes meeting gray. ^I must speak to her soon, my son. Ask Galmir if it would be safe to bring her out of your room tonight that she may be moved into more appropriate quarters. And while you're at it, find Falurien and Enarwen, and tell them to come see me immediately. There are things I must discuss with them.^

Legolas nodded in obedience to his father, and walked out of the throne room in quest of the aforementioned Elf-maidens before looking for Galmir, but something troubled his mind. _Other-Earth? What is that? And why did Father mention it when I told him Camille's name? There was something going on, Legolas knew, but he just couldn't figure everything out right now._

_But the question is, when will I be able to understand everything?_

*      *      *

Camille stood at the balcony, looking over the gardens of the palace and out towards the great forest that extended as far as her eye could see. Below her, a great many elves walked by, laughing, talking and singing in a flowing, melodious language that she could not understand, but loved to listen to. 

There was no doubt in her mind that she had somehow ended up in another world. WHAT world exactly, and HOW, were two questions she probably wouldn't know the answers to until much later. 

_But I'm lucky to have ended up here. Okay, so maybe I was nearly killed by that Orc, but at least Prince Legolas was there to save me… She frowned then, another thought crossing her mind. __I wonder what happened to Eli? She wasn't there when I looked… Did an Orc kidnap her while I wasn't looking? She tried not to think about that possibility, but it flooded her mind with many images that she wished she didn't have to see…_

A knock sounded on the door at that moment, and made Camille jump a little with surprise. She clutched the blankets she had wrapped around her body as she stumbled back a little towards the bed. "Who is it?"

"'Tis I, Lady Camille," replied Prince Legolas' voice. "I wish to speak to you again, as does my father, Thranduil. May we come in?"

"Hang on a minute!" Camille called as she lifted her legs up onto the bed, and pulled the blankets over them. She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself, then yelled, "You can come in now!"

The door opened then, and Prince Legolas walked in, followed closely behind by another Elf. This other Elf looked just somewhat older than Legolas, though they both shared the same golden hair. This older Elf's eyes, however, were not blue, but gray.

Camille grinned at them. "Good afternoon, Prince Legolas!" She turned to the other Elf. "And good afternoon, Your Majesty."

King Thranduil smiled back at her, his face calm and cheerful in the fading afternoon light. "I bid you the same, Lady Camille. Though I believe it is much too early for you to go walking around while the wound in your shoulder is still raw."

Camille blushed, and lowered her chin a little, looking up at the king and the prince through her lashes. "How-how did you know I was walking around already?"

"We Elves have very keen hearing, Lady Camille, as well as very sharp eyesight. We do not miss a lot of things," Legolas said with a chuckle as he took a seat on the left of the bed, King Thranduil doing the same.

Camille frowned. "Oh. So you must have heard me stumbling about in here even through the door." 

King Thranduil nodded, then paused momentarily. After a while, he spoke again. "I believe that you would be happy to know that you are well enough to move into your own room now. I will assign two maidens - Falurien and Enarwen – to attend to you while you remain here in the palace."

Camille beamed. "Really? Thank you so much, Your Majesty!" She lowered her head, and fiddled with the edge of the blanket. "Everyone has been so kind to me since I woke up, and even before that… I really don't know how I'm going to make this up to you and Prince Legolas." She felt her cheeks turn red again. _Should I tell them? After a moment of hesitating, she said, "Actually, I don't remember anyone being so nice to me. Here I am, a stranger and all, and you still have enough faith and trust in me that you would go through so much trouble just for me. I never got treated this way, not even at home."_

Thranduil smiled then, and leaned forward slightly. "Actually, Lady Camille, there are a few questions that have been floating through the heads of all who reside here. WHERE is home for you, Lady? You certainly do not come from any of the nearby lands. Are you from Minas Tirith, maybe? Or from a place farther to the West? And what are your reasons for coming here to the East?"

Camille bit her lip, her fingers becoming more restless as her nervousness grew. _Oh crap. I wish that he didn't have to ask those questions… She flicked her gaze upwards back to the two Elves, and they were still staring at her, one pair of gray eyes, another of blue, bearing down on her with respectable yet unnerving silence. __Should I tell them?_

She drew in a deep breath to steady herself and her voice. _Yes I should. There's going to be no point in lying to the two of them, after all. She looked up again, looking dead straight into Thranduil's eyes. "Laugh at me if you want, but I'm just going to be honest. I think…I think that I am from another world."_

*      *      *

Legolas felt a sharp bolt of shock course through his veins. _Another world?! How can that be?! No other worlds exist aside from Middle-Earth and Eressea… He glanced at his father, and noticed that the latter didn't seem too surprised. __Or is there something here that I do not know of?_

King Thranduil nodded gravely in response to Camille's answer. "I see. I will not laugh at you, Lady Camille, for giving me that answer, although there are quite a few – Elves and otherwise - who would do such a thing when faced with such a strange answer. But you answer me truthfully; that I see in your eyes. By your leave, I would wish to pose another question: how did you arrive here in this world?"

The auburn-haired girl took another deep breath, which, Legolas observed, she seemed to be doing rather frequently now. She closed her eyes, and opened them again as she replied, "Personally, I'm completely clueless. I was just walking through this patch of wood on my way home from school, with my best friend, Eli. 

"I thought that it was some sort of shortcut when I saw the path through the trees, and I thought, what the heck, I'd get home sooner and make my parents happy with that! So I told Eli about it, and we went. I think she wasn't too happy about it, but she's always like that.

"Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. So I kept on walking, and walking, and walking, just following the path while I whistled to myself. But then I noticed that the path was just getting a little TOO long. I realized that I was wrong about the shortcut bit, so I turned around to Eli so we could walk back and take our usual route home. But when I looked, she was gone, just like that." To emphasize her point, she snapped her fingers in the air in front of her face.

"When I realized that she had gone, I figured that she had probably gone back already. I intended to follow her back, but when I looked, the path wasn't there anymore. That was when I felt that something freaky was going on. I turned around to take the long path through the forest, the trail wasn't there anymore, either. I was standing someplace in the middle of nowhere, with no path to follow and with no signs to guide me out.

"Need I say how scared I was? Here I was, lost in some dark and lonely forest, and there were weird sounds coming out of almost every corner. I felt like a wolf or a tiger would come jumping out of the shadows and tear me to shreds.

"But then I heard something that sounded like footsteps. I felt a bit better when I did, because I thought that they were Eli's. I thought that she was coming back to get me. But when I got closer, I realized that it wasn't Eli after all."

Legolas couldn't help interrupting. "It was an Orc."

Camille turned her gaze to him, and nodded. "Yeah, an Orc. The moment I saw its ugly face, I totally freaked out. I just turned, and ran, screaming my head off all the way. I didn't care anymore where I went, I just wanted to put as much distance between that thing and me as I could.

"Unfortunately for me, it had enough mind to try and chase me. And, as luck would have it, I ended up at a dead end. It came stomping over towards me, its sword raised. I turned away, and closed my eyes, thinking that it would be the end of me. And that was when it stabbed me in the shoulder." Her left hand reached up, and lightly touched the wound. She winced when she felt that it was still painful. "And the rest, I'm sure Prince Legolas has told you already."

Thranduil leaned back, his gaze thoughtful and understanding at the same time. "Yes, it is just as my son has told me." He remained in that position for a while, thinking, but then he smiled, and stood up. "Thank you for allowing me to ask such questions of you, Lady Camille. I know that it must come as a shock to you, especially since you have only just awakened-"

Camille shook her head. "Nah, it wasn't a problem. I knew you were bound to ask it sooner or later, and I was more or less prepared for it." She was quiet, then she fixed her gaze on Legolas, and asked, "Um, by any chance, did you happen to see another girl in the forest? She was wearing the same clothes I was."

Legolas thought about it, trying to remember. _Did I see any such person? When his memory turned up nothing, he shook his head. "I am sorry, Lady, but I do not remember seeing anyone who dressed like you in the forest."_

The frown that appeared on her face made his heart heavy. In an attempt to lighten her spirits, he approached her, and sat down on the bed. He reached out, and gently held her hand in his. He gazed into her eyes while he spoke. "But be rest assured, I myself will go out tomorrow, and search for her. If I do not find her, then we will send word to Rivendell and Lothlorien about her. Perhaps they would know something of her in those places."

Camille smiled at him at last, and he felt his heart melt completely. It was a lovely, tender smile, full of trust and confidence in him. "Okay, I'll hold you to that promise."

Legolas smiled as well, and lifted her hand to his lips. "It is a promise I would gladly fulfill, My Lady." He kissed her then on the back of her hand, in a manner that was befitting for a Queen. He glanced at her momentarily, and did not miss the pretty blush that covered her face. Smiling secretively at his success, he bowed to her, and left the room, following his father and closing the door behind him.

*      *      *

Thranduil watched as his son bid the Lady Camille a momentary farewell, by kissing the Lady's hand in a way that was proper for all Ladies of high birth. _Of course, he thought, after seeing Lady Camille blush the way she did, __he did it for other reasons than just being polite._

When Legolas had closed the door, he turned to him, and asked, ^Father, why did you ask such questions of her? What did she mean when she said that she was from…another world? I do not understand this.^

Thranduil sighed, and shook his head. ^'Tis a long story, my son. And I feel that I am not the right one to tell you about it.^ He turned away, looking to the west, where Rivendell lay hidden in the distant mountains. ^No indeed. You will learn in your own time, and in your own way. But mark this: trouble is coming, and it will not be very pleasant for all of us.^ 

He turned back to Legolas, placing a hand on his shoulder. ^Legolas, you are my son, and were born to do many great things. I want you to promise that, whatever the future will bring, you will protect Lady Camille with your life. I feel that she will play an important role in whatever events may come, and it is imperative that she lives. For the sake of Mirkwood, and for the sake of all who live in Middle-Earth, the flame that is her soul must not go out.^ He gripped his son's shoulder more tightly. ^Do you promise me this, Legolas?^

Legolas gazed at him, his eyes clearly filled with confusion and worry, but nonetheless, he smiled, and nodded. ^I give you my word, Father. Even if you hadn't asked it of me, I would still have protected her.^

Thranduil smiled, relieved. ^That is good, Legolas.^ _Though you may not know it yet, you now carry on your shoulders a responsibility far greater than ruling the kingdom of Mirkwood. In your hands now rests the fate of what could be one of Middle-Earth's brightest lights of hope. May her light never fade into oblivion as long as you remain close at hand._

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, another chapter wrapped up! Intriguing, the way Thranduil talks about things that are yet to come, as he says…hmm. And I just ADORE the way Legolas has begun to flirt with our poor, ah, victim! And although this seems to be a Mary Sue type fanfic, let me tell you that it ISN'T! At least, I'm TRYING not to make it like that. Camille is NOT a sissy, and DOES NOT hide behind other people when in a pinch. I'm going to show that in the next chapter, so you just wait!


	6. Chapter Five: By the Moonlight

Chapter Five: By the Moonlight 

Camille sat on the railing at the balcony of her room, feeling the cool night breeze blow past her and into her new chambers. She smiled to herself as she looked up to a huge full moon. The sky here was clear, clearer than the sky back home. _Damn, if only the air wasn't so polluted in my world, then I bet that I'd get to see the moon and stars like this every night back home. She shrugged, and sighed. __Too bad though. At least for a while I'll be able to stare at this every single night._

She felt a presence from behind her. She turned, and noticed Falurien and Enarwen looking at her, their bright blue eyes showing their concern. "Something the matter?"

Enarwen as the first to speak. "It is nothing, My Lady. We were just wondering if you were alright. You have been sitting out here for the past hour."

Camille smiled, and bowed her head slightly. "I was just thinking, that's all." She turned to them, and waved them closer. "Come on, sit here with me. I think I need someone else to talk to aside from the little voice in my head."

Shyly, the two Elves approached her, and perched delicately on the railing. For a long while, the three girls were silent, then Camille grinned at them. "Aren't you going to say anything? The silence is nice and all, but seriously, this is too much!"

Enarwen and Falurien glanced at each other, and blushed momentarily. "Forgive us, My Lady," Falurien said apologetically, "but we weren't so sure what we would say to you. After all, they say that you are a great and noble princess from a faraway land, and-"

Camille blinked. "Me? A princess?" She laughed suddenly, causing the two Elves with her to look at her with shock. "Who the heck would say such a thing about me?! That is SO not true!" She looked at them, trying to reassure them that she wasn't crazy. "I don't know who or what gave you that idea, but I'm not a princess. I don't even HAVE any sort of title, for crying out loud!"

Enarwen spoke again. "But how could it be so? It was His Majesty himself who said that you were to be treated with the greatest and utmost respect, the kind that a princess deserves. Naturally we assumed that you were of noble birth, since His Majesty seemed to say such a thing about you."

Camille continued to chuckle, though she was now in control of her mirth. _Would King Thranduil really say such a thing about me? "I don't know how you would look at this, since he IS your king and all, but I think that he's just being nice to me. I don't know why, but that's what he's doing." She beamed at them. "And since I am in no way a titled woman or anything, you might as well call me Camille. I told Prince Legolas and King Thranduil that, and I will tell it to you as well."_

The two Elves looked at her for a while, then they smiled, and nodded to her request. _Looks like I did the right thing, Camille thought. __I don't want them to look at me with fear; I only want them to look at me as a friend. _

Just then, a voice sailed to them from the grove below. Camille's ears perked up, and she realized that it was someone singing. A man, who apparently had a VERY nice voice. She sighed, and closed her eyes, simply listening to the song. It was in Elvish, and though she couldn't understand it, the interlocking words and the melody itself were so beautiful that it didn't really matter at all that she couldn't understand it. She opened one eye, and turned to her companions. "It's beautiful. Who's singing?"

There was no mistaking the amazement in Falurien's voice. "Why, it is His Highness, Prince Legolas!"

"Prince Legolas?" A warm feeling rushed through Camille as she continued to listen to the voice of her rescuer. _I didn't know he could sing. But, God, his voice is so wonderful! I bet that the record companies would be fighting over him if ever he got a chance to go to our world. She opened her eyes more fully, and noticed then that Falurien and Enarwen were both blushing. "What's the matter with you? Why are the both of you red in the face?"_

Enarwen jumped a little in surprise, then sighed. "The Prince does not sing very often. It is a rare thing that we hear him tonight. He sings only when he feels very happy, or when some strong emotion of bliss carries him away."

"Or, as Prince Celebrion used to say, when he is leaning in any way towards love," Falurien added softly.

Camille raised an eyebrow. "Prince Celebrion?"

Falurien nodded. "Prince Legolas' older brother. There are three of them: Lotheresseion, Celebrion, and Legolas. Lotheresseion and Celebrion are the older two; Legolas is the youngest. But they are no longer here; they went west across the Sea to Eressea, along with His Majesty's wife, Queen Iluvirwel."

"Oh," Camille murmured, and she turned away from her companions. The moon played its beams over the treetops, casting silver against green. As the wind whispered through her hair, she thought of a song, and before she could stop herself, the words flowed out of her mouth, along with the melody…

_Moon so bright, night so fine,_

_Keep your heart, here with mine_

_Life's a dream; we are dreaming._

_Race the moon, catch the wind,_

_Ride the night, to the end_

_Seize the day, stand up for the light…_

_I want to spend my lifetime loving you_

_If that is all in life I every do…_

_Heroes rise, heroes fall,_

_Rise again, with it all,_

_In your heart, can't you feel the glory_

_Throughout joy, throughout pain_

_We can move, worlds again_

_Take my hand, dance with me…_

_I want to spend my lifetime loving you_

_If that is all in life I ever do_

_I will want nothing else to see me through_

_If I can spend my lifetime loving you…_

_Though we know, we will never come again_

_When there is love, life begins, over and over again…_

_Save the night, save the day,_

_Save our love, come what may_

_Love is worth everything we pay…_

_I want to spend my lifetime loving you_

_If that is all in life I ever do_

_I want to spend my lifetime loving you_

_If that is all in life I ever do_

_I will want nothing else to see me through_

_If I can spend my lifetime…loving you…_

Camille clamped her mouth shut, and blushed when she noticed Enarwen and Falurien staring at her with awe. "What? Something wrong with my singing?"

Enarwen shook her head, and smiled broadly. "No, there was nothing wrong with it. Your voice is beautiful, Camille! And that song…why, the melody alone would be enough to warm the heart of anyone! The words are beautiful as well, even though it is not in the Elvish tongue."

Falurien giggled softly, trying to cover it up with her hand. "If His Highness had heard it, I would not be surprised if he came running up here to ask if it was you whom he had heard."

"I would not need to come running up just yet, Falurien. I can converse with Lady Camille well enough from down here."

Camille froze, while Enarwen and Falurien gave small squeals of surprise and delight. _What the… She looked down from the balcony, and saw Prince Legolas standing in the grove just below her, a smile upon his face and the moonlight in his hair._

*      *      *

"Prince Legolas! What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Legolas' smile became even broader. "Is there something wrong with my being here, My Lady?"

Camille fidgeted slightly, but after a while, shook her head. "No, not really. I just…I just didn't expect to find you out here at such an hour."

Legolas chuckled, but did not say anything anymore. He wished to survey the scene that lay before him. Up on the balcony sat Lady Camille, her position a rather precarious one on the railing. Her hair lay loose around her shoulders, and shifted with every breath of wind that blew towards her. Her brown eyes glimmered in the moonlight, and they looked like stars unto themselves. She was clad in a simple white sleeping gown, with a robe thrown over her to keep her warm, and to hide the wound that still lay beneath the cloth. And for a while, it seemed as though she was not a mortal, but an Elf in the guise of one. He swore that in her face, he could see the expression of Nimrodel, of whom many songs and legends are told.

_But she is fairer than Nimrodel, it would seem, he thought bemusedly as he gazed up at her. He had been walking through these groves, thinking about her, and he had been singing a song to himself. It was a song that spoke of love newly found, and the sweet agony of being in love, but having the inability to express it. During a momentary pause in his song, he heard another, melodic voice, floating down to him from some room above. The tune was lovely, but the words that were sung to it were perfect. He didn't need to look to know that it was Lady Camille who was singing, and he felt his heart soar at hearing her voice. __I never expected she could sing so wonderfully…_

"You have a lovely voice, My Lady," Legolas said as sincerely as he could. Not that he had to force it. He said it with nothing but truth in his heart. He just wanted to make sure that his words didn't sound too flattering.

Camille giggled as she looked down at him. "Now I know you're trying to butter me up. And to think this is coming from someone who sings better than I could ever hope to."

Legolas shook his head. "I did not want to flatter you, My Lady. I only wished to speak the truth." He climbed up the nearest tree, and sat down on the branches that were on an even level with the woman he was speaking to. "And do not deprecate yourself so. We Elves know when we hear a beautiful voice, and I must admit, you have one of the loveliest I have ever heard in all of Middle-Earth."

Camille shrugged, though she winced a little when her shoulder stung her with pain. "So Enarwen and Falurien say." 

He leaned closer towards her, bending the tree branch only slightly with his weight. "Let me hear your voice again, My Lady. That is all I ask of you for tonight. Let me hear the voice that would put to shame the greatest minstrels of Middle-Earth, whether they are Elves or not."

Camille tilted her head back slightly, and she laughed, soft, silvery peals that almost sounded like music itself. Legolas found his eyes wandering over her face, down the elegant pillar of her throat, and lower still…

"I don't know about that," Camille said at that moment, and Legolas whipped his gaze back to her, the blood stinging his face. He was only too glad for the shadows of the night to hide his blush, because he knew that in broad daylight, Camille would see it, and she would ask why. 

For the meantime, he just played along. He pouted like a little boy, and said, "This is not fair, My Lady. You will deprive me of much sleep tonight."

She smirked at him, one eyebrow raised in a teasing manner. "That's not my fault anymore. I've had enough singing for one night, and I'd like to give my vocal chords a rest. Why don't you try drinking something to make you go to sleep? It'd work the same way, wouldn't it?"

"I have tried that already. As you can see, it didn't do me any good." Legolas knew he was lying, but at this point, he was just about ready to say anything just to hear her sing again.

But his heart sank when Camille shook her head with finality. "Sorry Prince Legolas, but I just can't give you what you want, not tonight, at least. Some other night, maybe, but just not tonight." She looked up at him. "Warn me in advance. That way I can cook up something nice to sing to you, AND get my vocal chords into shape."

Legolas sighed, defeated. He knew that there was no use pushing. But he still had a plan, one that he had thought up in case something went wrong… He straightened up, balancing himself on the tree branch. He leaped down from the branch, and landed on the balcony in front of Camille. He smiled at her. "Then if I cannot have a song, would you deny me of a kiss?"

Camille's eyes widened at his request, and her blush was clearly visible even in the moonlight. She took a few steps away from him, one hand suddenly pressed tightly against the neckline of her gown. "Pri-Prince Legolas, why would you ask THAT of me?" she stammered. 

"Well you refused to sing me a song, so I thought that the only way I would be able to get a peaceful sleep tonight was if I obtained a kiss from you." In some strange way, Legolas was enjoying this. Her blushes made her look all the more beautiful, heightening the clear brown of her liquid eyes.

"Prince Legolas…" Camille was now leaning against the wall; she could go no further. "I-I don't think this is right…"

Legolas halted in his steps. The fear in her voice was clear, and he hated the sound. He clenched his jaw, and curled his hands into fists, trying to regain control of himself. _I do not want her to fear me! He looked into her eyes, and the fear in them made his heart ache with guilt. _

He turned away from her sharply. _I do not wish to see the fear in her eyes anymore. The fear there now…it is the same as the time when the Orc attacked her. "Forgive me, My Lady. I did not mean to be so forward." He paused, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he continued, "I hope that you will forgive me of this incident. Goodnight, Lady Camille, and may the night bring only good dreams to you." With that, he jumped down from the balcony to the ground below, and headed to his own chambers._

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh. My. GOD!!!!! Legolas, WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO CAMILLE!!!!!! This is SO not like you!!! Okay, you're a flirt; I can understand that, you're beautiful after all, but I didn't think you'd go THIS far!!!!!! Legolas glares at authoress "It was YOU who was doing all the writing, you know." Authoress glares at Elf. Elf shuts up. Anyway, the song that Camille sang is "I Want to Spend my Lifetime Loving You", the main theme from the movie "Zorro" with Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones. Marc Anthony and Tina Arena originally sang the song. Now I KNOW I promised I'd put in some action, and that's coming! It's in the next chapter, this time FOR SURE.


	7. Chapter Six: In the Dark of the Night

Chapter Six: In the Dark of the Night 

All was peaceful and quiet in the palace of the Elvenking of Mirkwood. All who resided there knew that nothing could disturb them, not as long as the archers  - the best on Middle-Earth – watched their borders, evil would not be able to enter their realm.

Or so they thought. For even as the Elves of Mirkwood continued to dream pleasant dreams, evil was walking on their lands already. Orcs from Isengard under the commands of Saruman had managed to sneak past the Elven watchers, and were now on their way to release a certain "captive" the Elves had in their care.

The Orcs were ordered to release Gollum, the first holder of the One Ring of Power before it had been "stolen" from him by Bilbo Baggins. This was their main objective, but they had a secondary one as well, and that was to kill two persons who stayed in the palace. One was a mortal girl, a special guest of King Thranduil. The other was the King's own son, Prince Legolas, said to be the best archer Mirkwood had to offer.

While one group went off to look for Gollum, the other group made their way to the palace, seeking out the Prince and the girl. However, they were going to be in for a surprise, especially where the girl was concerned…

*      *      *

Camille slid into the covers of her bed, and tried to go to sleep, but she couldn't. The scene with Prince Legolas replayed itself over and over in her mind, and she couldn't get rid of it.

She sighed, and lay on her stomach, staring at the intricate headboard of her bed. _Why does this have to happen to me now? The guy was just asking me for a KISS! He wasn't going to DO anything to me… She frowned. __But it could have led to that._

_That STILL doesn't mean he would have done it! And besides, you wanted it almost as much as he did! Here, Camille's eyes snapped open. __What?!?!?! I don't believe it! Has it gotten to the point that I actually WANT Prince Legolas to kiss me?!?!?! Crap, I'm infatuated with him, aren't I?_

She smirked. _But it isn't something that won't blow over in a few weeks. Happens all the time; I'll have a crush on someone, then I'll forget all about them in two weeks, tops. With that little "dilemma" out of the way, she smiled, and buried her face into the pillows, planning to get a good night's rest._

But then, a strange rustling caught her ear. She opened her eyes, and sat up, her senses on the alert. 

For a while, everything was silent, but then, there was more rustling coming from her window. Sensing that something was terribly wrong, she climbed out of bed, the pain in her shoulder notwithstanding, and hid herself in the wardrobe, leaving it open just a little bit so that she could see what was going on outside.

The rustling became stronger, and in moments, she noticed a shadow form on the balcony of her room. Judging from the shape of the shadow and from its ungainly movements, this could not be an Elf. 

But when the owner of the shadow moved into the room and afforded her a view of its face, Camille felt the old fear return to her system. _An Orc?! What's an Orc doing here?! She could vaguely remember Thranduil and Legolas telling her that no Orcs dared to enter their land because it was much too sacred. As long as Elves resided in a place, then one could be sure that the last thing one would see would be Orcs._

_Then what the heck is that THING doing here! And in the palace, of all places?! Camille couldn't avoid cursing in her head now that she was in a situation like this. But she knew that she was not completely defenseless. She had recently earned her black belts in aikido, judo, and kung fu, and she was skilled at wielding two kodachi at the same time. _

The Orc roamed through her room, picking up random objects and throwing them down on the floor. A couple of them smashed to pieces. Camille winced at the sound, wondering whether the other Elves in the nearby rooms had heard all the racket going on in her room. However, a thought suddenly struck her. _What if they're already dead? "Jeez, I am SO in trouble!" she muttered to herself._

The Orc's head snapped in the direction of the wardrobe, and Camille just wanted to knock herself out for her stupidity. _Idiot!! Now that thing knows where you are!_

The Orc walked closer to the wardrobe, its sword drawn. It reached out with its free hand, and slowly pulled open the wardrobe door. While it was doing so, Camille readied herself for the inevitable confrontation. _Three, two, one…_

She gave a war cry as she kicked the Orc in the stomach, sending it flying back from her by a few good meters. She took a stance and faced it, her brown eyes flaming as the monster got back up from where it had been lying.

She growled at it. "Come on you big ugly jerk! I wasn't prepared the first time your buddy caught me, but THIS time I'm going to beat you so bad that by the time your other pals find you, they won't recognize you anymore!" 

The Orc let out a hoarse-sounding shout, and charged at her, its sword raised in the air. Camille waited for the right moment, and gracefully sidestepped so that the Orc's sword hit the wall, and not her head. 

Taking the thing's momentary surprise to her advantage, she kicked at the Orc's head, making it snap back to the side. Though it did hurt her a bit (she wasn't wearing anything except her nightgown), she didn't give a damn about anything at that moment. Her injured shoulder long forgotten, she began to go through the movements of an intricate kata, with the unfortunate Orc ending up as her punching bag. 

She jabbed the side of her right hand into the Orc's throat, and heard a harsh choking sound. She smirked to herself. She had used sufficient force in that chop to knock the wind out of a grown man. She had managed to force the Orc out towards her balcony. As the thing teetered on the edge, on the verge of falling, she gave it a roundhouse kick square in the face, causing it to fly into the trunk of the nearby elm tree and slide to the ground with a massive thud.

Camille looked over the railing, a satisfied expression on her face. _Ah, that felt SO good! However, she felt another presence from behind. Thinking that it was another Orc, she whirled around, and lifted her arms in front of her slightly to ward off any attacks, and moved her left leg slightly back in a stance. But what she saw wasn't an Orc. In fact, it was the farthest thing from one. She gasped, and relaxed her guard._

There, standing in the doorway, was Prince Legolas, his bow in his hand and an arrow in the other. He stared at her in open astonishment. "Lady Camille?"  
  


Camille sighed, and bowed her head. "Jeez Prince Legolas, don't SCARE me like that! I thought you were another Orc!"

Legolas shouldered his bow, and approached her, his face filled with concern. "Are you alright? Have you been injured?"

Camille smirked, and shook her head. "No, I'm just fine. Those things won't be able to get the jump on me the second time around." She glanced over the edge of the railing. "Oh yeah, and if you're looking for that midnight visitor of mine, just take a peek and you'll find him there."

Legolas looked momentarily, but his attention was soon focused on her again. "Come with me, Lady Camille. You are not safe here alone." So saying, he took her hand, and led her out of her room, and into the hall. 

Camille blinked as she watched the Elves milling around, most of them talking in hushed but frightened whispers. Since Camille couldn't understand Elvish, she didn't know exactly what they were talking about, but she figured as much that it had something to do with the attack of the Orcs.

Several Elves came up to Prince Legolas, and all of them seemed to be concerned for him. The Prince reassured them with a few words and a kind smile, before continuing on their way. At long last, they arrived at another part of the palace, which were apparently the royal suites. Here, Camille saw King Thranduil sitting in a chair in what was apparently his room, giving out orders to several guards and archers. At one side stood Enarwen and Falurien, both of them looking like they just had a terrible fright.

Upon seeing them, Camille broke away from Legolas' grasp, and approached the two of them. She smiled gently when they took notice of her. "Hey you two, are you okay?"

The two Elves both breathed sighs of relief, and enveloped Camille in a four-armed hug. "Oh Camille, we thought that you were done for!" Falurien whispered, her eyes glazed with tears.

Enarwen nodded in agreement, and she too looked just about ready to cry herself. "When we heard the Orcs coming in from the forest, we went immediately to your chambers to try and warn you of what was happening, but when we saw that an Orc was already there, we ran here to tell His Majesty and His Highness of what was happening."

Camille giggled as she clasped the hands of the two Elves tightly for reassurance. "Don't worry, I'm just fine. I may have gotten injured the first time, but not the second time around. This is one of those instances when I really try to learn from my mistakes."

King Thranduil spoke then. "It is fortunate that you managed to fend for yourself, Lady Camille, even without a weapon. Not a lot of people, much less women, can take down an Orc on their own."

Camille was about to give her automatic reply to such a sexist remark (which was "shut up about women and their weaknesses, you dork!"), but remembered that this wasn't the same world she lived in anymore, meaning that here, women were considered inferior. _And besides, King Thranduil didn't mean to insult me. She smiled slightly in reply. "I can fend for myself just fine, thank you."_

There was a teasing look in Thranduil's eye. "Then how come you were not able to defeat the Orc that gave you that wound?"

"It surprised me," Camille said simply. "I wasn't prepared to face such a thing. I've never seen anything like an Orc. They don't exist where I am from."

Enarwen gazed at her in awe. "There are no Orcs in your land? That must be quite a blessing!"

Camille laughed nervously, and then she said, "Ah, yeah, I guess so." She turned pleadingly to King Thranduil, who nodded imperceptibly. "Enarwen, Falurien, you may leave the Lady Camille with us for a while. I would like to have a word with her."

The two Elves jumped slightly, and curtsied to their King and to the Prince. They quickly walked out of the room, and when they were gone, Camille let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I didn't exactly want them to know that I'm from a completely different world."

Thranduil nodded kindly to her reply. "It was not a problem, Lady Camille. I, too, would like to have your true identity hidden for the time being. I have encouraged the rumor that you are a princess from a distant land in the North, so that you may be treated properly by the others."

Camille smiled wryly. "Aha, so you DID tell Enarwen and Falurien that! I thought that it was just some rumor someone else made up!" But her smile faded immediately when she thought about the Orcs. "King Thranduil, could you tell me why those Orcs came tonight? I think you told me before that Mirkwood was sacred ground, and that no Orcs would be able to come here."

*      *      *

Thranduil gazed at Lady Camille for a long while, trying to think of a proper way of telling her what he thought. _I do not want to frighten her by saying outright that the Orcs were after her and my son… He sighed, and closed his eyes. "They were after a certain…prisoner that we have kept here in Mirkwood. To help that prisoner escape, they decided to create a diversion, and so they entered the palace and attempted to slay not just you, but my son as well."_

Camille's eyes widened, then she turned her gaze to Legolas, who had been gazing at her for quite some time as well. After a moment of looking at each other, Camille turned to him, and asked, "But, Your Majesty, what would they want with me? I don't mean to offend, but I can understand why they would want to kill Prince Legolas. I don't understand why they'd want to kill ME."

"We do not understand that either, Lady Camille," Thranduil replied quietly. He smirked. "Perhaps my rumor of you being a princess has traveled far abroad."

"But that still doesn't make sense!" Camille exclaimed, her voice rising slightly in tonality. "What would Orcs want with me – princess or no princess?!"

Legolas sighed gently, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "These are dark times, My Lady. Evil lurks everywhere now, and, as you can see, not even Mirkwood is safe anymore."

King Thranduil noticed the color leave Camille's cheeks, and the trembling of her hands as some kind of horrid thought occurred to her. "Oh no…does that mean Eli could be in danger?" She closed her eyes tight, and shook her head. "No, no, that can't be…I won't be able to live it down if something happened to her…"

Legolas knelt down in front of Camille, his hands clasping hers tightly by the wrist, as if trying to reassure her. "That will not happen, My Lady. I am sure that your friend is safe and sound. If she is anything like you, then I am certain she is alright."

Camille smiled slightly, and lifted her hand to wipe away the few tears that had come to her eyes. "Thanks for trying to comfort me, Prince Legolas."

Thranduil cleared his throat, gaining the attention of his son and the lady. "The palace is not safe enough for you by night, Lady Camille. I would feel much better if you were given a room closer to mine and my son's." He turned to the door, raising his voice slightly so that he might be heard. "Enarwen! Falurien!"

There was a soft fluttering sound of Elven dresses, and the two aforementioned maidens appeared in the doorway, curtsying to him and to Legolas. "You called, Your Majesty?"

"Lady Camille will have new quarters. She shall be staying in the suite down the hall from here from now on."

The two Elf-maidens blinked momentarily in surprise, but after a moment, they composed themselves, and curtsied again, dashing off to get the room prepared. With that done, Thranduil turned to Legolas and Lady Camille. "Legolas, please escort Lady Camille to her new quarters."

Legolas nodded, and bowed politely. "As you wish, Father." He turned to Lady Camille, and took her hand, leading her out of his chambers.

Alone, Thranduil sighed, and gazed out the window. It was still deep night, and the moon had not yet begun to descend into the east. _So they know about her existence… That was one of the reasons why he had wanted to keep Camille close at hand; so that if any of the Orcs decided to come back, they would have a much harder time trying to kill her with him and Legolas so close by._

_Legolas… A small smile quirked on his lips as he recalled the way his son had been acting around the Lady. There was no denying the look of infatuation that he had been firing her way ever since the day she awoke, but unfortunately for him, Lady Camille didn't seem to know, or care. __She will be a challenge for him to conquer. I only hope that she will give him her heart before it is too late. _

A small verse from a poem long forgotten came into his head. He whispered it to himself in Elvish, ^Fairer than any yet to be seen, one shall become a mighty Queen…^ He shook his head, and chuckled. _It might be too much to hope for, but at the rate this is going, I might not be too far off the mark._

*      *      *

Legolas watched with a worried gaze at Camille sat down on the bed. Ever since the attack of the Orcs, she hadn't been quite the same. The cheerful glow of her face was replaced by a shadow of gloom and worry, and her eyes always seemed to be downcast now. _She is worrying about her friend. He closed his eyes, mentally sighing. __I can understand her pain. If I were in the same situation, I would feel the same way. But there was something else, another hurt that was more grievous than anything else that could come down on her…_

He knelt down in front of her, so that he could look into her eyes that were hidden from him now. He clasped her right hand, caressing it in a gentle, soothing manner. He didn't need to look to know that she was weeping. "Please, My Lady, I do not wish to see you so sad…"

Her lips moved then, saying words in a whisper that only an Elf could hear, "This is all my fault."

Legolas shook his head. "No, no, none of this is your fault. You are not at fault here."

Camille looked up at him then, her eyes flashing with anger and remorse. "That's easy for you to say! If I hadn't seen that shortcut and if I hadn't led Eli with me through it, I wouldn't be here right now! I wouldn't have been in the forest, that Orc wouldn't have chased me, I wouldn't have been stabbed, and you wouldn't have brought me here! I was trouble at the beginning, and all I've done is cause more trouble!"

Legolas swallowed hard, trying to control the emotions welling up inside of him. He knew now the sound he least wanted to hear, and it was the sound of Lady Camille's weeping. He wanted to hold her in his embrace and tell her that everything was all right, that he would never let anything harm her…

But he did not. He simply gripped her hand harder, trying to pin her gaze with his own. "Do not blame yourself for all that has happened. If there is anyone to blame, it is not you. No, not you; you are the one with the least fault here."

"Then what is my fault, Prince Legolas?" she asked quietly.

He smiled, wiping away the small cascade of tears that fell from her eyes as he spoke. "Your sole fault is that you are who you are. You are the fairest among ladies, with intelligence mixed with innocence, with gentleness alloyed with unyielding courage in the face of danger. And even then, I would never consider that a fault. No one here would consider that a fault."

  
At long last, the tears in her eyes abated their flow, and the semblance of a smile formed itself on her lips. She looked into his eyes, and he was relieved to see that she was reassured. "Thank you, Prince Legolas."

"It was nothing, My Lady." He bent over her hand, and kissed it with the same fervor and feeling he would have if he had kissed her on her mouth. "Now sleep. The night has not been kind to you, and you need your rest."

She nodded wordlessly in response, her brown hair shimmering softly in the moonlight as he left her in the room, like the living remnant of a dream he had fled from but did not wish to leave.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AT LAST, the Orcs come to raid Mirkwood! If you're wondering where this event fits in, it's actually included in the books. Remember, Legolas mentioned at the Council of Elrond that a group of Orcs had helped Gollum escape from his prison in Mirkwood. And if you took the time to check out the Appendix in "The Return of the King", then you'll find out that Gandalf and Aragorn managed to catch Gollum, and then they handed him over to Thranduil for safekeeping. Of course, my version is in NO WAY exactly the way it was written in the book, but it comes close enough. This is only how I imagined it to work out if Camille had been in the palace. And for those of you who don't watch Rurouni Kenshin, a kodachi (did I get the spelling right?) is a sword like a katana, only somewhat shorter. Anyway, on to the next chapter! From Mirkwood, we move our focus to Rivendell, where Eli has been recuperating. We'll go back a few days in time, to see how she awoke, and how she fared with Arwen, Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan…


	8. Chapter Seven: Awakening in Imladris

Chapter Seven: Awakening in Imladris 

Her brows wrinkled up slightly, and her head rolled to one side as a dream troubled her sleep. Her lips parted in a sigh, and a name escaped them in a soft whisper, "Camille…"

Elrond watched on at the young lady who slept in Arwen's bed, a look of thoughtfulness crossing his face. _Who could you be, child? Where are you from? _

When he first heard from his sons that they had found a young girl at the edge of the ford, being chased by Orcs, he had felt that something suspicious was going on. He had thought that this was another one of Sauron's tricks. He wondered to himself if Sauron had decided to stoop so low as to send a young girl as a spy, using an innocent to accomplish his ideals.

But he could not be too sure. For all he knew, this girl had nothing to do with Sauron. _In these dark times, nothing is the same anymore._

^What shall we do with her, Father?^

Elrond turned, and gazed at his daughter, Arwen, also called Undomiel, for she was the Evenstar of her people. He smiled kindly at her. ^I do not know yet, my child. She has slept for a long time, and I do not wish to rouse her yet from her sleep.^ He glanced at the sleeping girl as she shifted in bed, rolling onto her back. ^And besides, I have enough reason to believe that she is living in a nightmare right now. It is too dangerous to venture forth into her dreams.^

Arwen nodded in understanding. ^I see. Then we must wait until tomorrow before we can ask our questions. Or at least until the nightmare has passed.^

Elrond nodded in response. ^That is true, Arwen. Now, let us leave her in her sleep for now.^

The two Elves turned, and left the room, closing the door behind them.

*      *      *

Elrohir loosed the arrow from the bow, and watched as it hit the bulls-eye just a hair's breadth above its very center. Beside him, Elladan fired, and his arrow hit the bulls-eye just below the center.

There was a note of pride in Elladan's voice as he turned to Arwen, who was with them at that moment. ^Now see that, dear sister! Don't you think we have improved quite a bit over time?^

Arwen only smirked at them. She pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and nocked it into her bow. She pulled the string taut, then aimed. There was a sharp twang as she let go, and the arrow hit the mark dead center, cutting right between Elladan and Elrohir's arrows.

Elrohir shook his head while Elladan merely scowled. _Well at least I knew better than to challenge Arwen to an archery contest. He patted his twin on the shoulder. ^It seems to me that Arwen has beaten us yet again, brother.^_

Elladan muttered something under his breath for a while, then he went to reclaim the arrows that they had shot.

While he was thus occupied, Elrohir took the time to question Arwen about their "guest". ^How does the girl fare, dear sister?^

Arwen sighed, and closed her eyes in thought. ^She has been asleep for a long while, brother. But Father fears waking her up, for it seems that her mind is weaving nightmares for her. Father will only dare to walk into her dreams once they are more peaceful.^

Elrohir nodded in agreement and understanding. He knew that his Father's talent at calling people out of the realm of dreams was a wonderful blessing and had saved many lives, but if the patient was having a nightmare, then it was much too dangerous. His spirit could get caught up in the nightmare, and be unable to leave. In essence, he would die.

Elladan approached them at that moment, a smile on his face. He had apparently heard what the two of them were talking about. ^I am of the opinion that she is quite beautiful. Why, if she were dressed properly, I think that she would look rather like an Elf!^

^Aha, now I think I understand why you want Father to wake her up so quickly!^ Elrohir exclaimed. 

Arwen laughed at her two brothers. ^Elladan, do not think of such things! She is, first and foremost, a guest! You cannot walk around thinking such thoughts about her! And besides, she is a mortal! I dread to imagine what Father would say if he found out that you had fallen in love with a mortal!^

There was a twinkle in Elladan's eye. ^And what is so wrong with falling in love with a mortal, dear sister? Have YOU not fallen in love with a mortal? I believe his name was Estel…^

Elrohir caught the distinctive blush in Arwen's usually pale cheeks. _Of course. She has felt such emotions for Estel for a long time… Estel was their adopted brother, a mortal boy whose true name was Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and the heir of Isildur, the last King of Gondor. He was the first one to find out about Arwen's love for Estel, and though he felt a little uneasy about it, he knew that this was one of the few things that would make Arwen happy, so he let it be. Eventually, Elladan got wind of it, and so did their Father. At first, Elrond didn't seem too happy about it – Arwen was determined to give up her immortality for Estel's sake, if it ever came to that – but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. _

Just then, a servant approached them, and said, "Excuse me, but your Father wishes to see you in Lady Arwen's chambers."

The three siblings looked at each other momentarily, then nodded, walking off towards the main palace.

*      *      *

Elrond waited patiently for his sons and daughter to arrive before he attempted anything. While he was waiting, he observed the girl who was now sleeping peacefully and most likely dreaming good dreams. The nightmares had finally passed, and it would now be safe to enter her dreams and call her forth into the world of the living.

He heard three different footsteps walking towards him, and he didn't need to look to know who was coming. ^You have arrived just in time. I was just about to wake her up.^

Elladan's voice spoke up behind him. ^Father, what do you think we should ask her when she awakens?^

^Naturally, who she is, where she came from, and what she was doing in the forest near the ford.^ Elrohir replied before Elrond could so much as make up an answer to that.

Arwen sat down on a chair at the right side of the bed, and stared thoughtfully at the sleeping girl. ^But I feel that whatever answers she may give, they will come as a shock to all of us.^

^You speak truly, child,^ Elrond muttered. Arwen had told him of the girl's strange clothing, and that had set off a spark in Elrond's mind, touching all sorts of old tales and songs that he had thought were long forgotten even by him. And one single poem stood out clearly in his mind, but he did not dare voice it out in front of everyone, not until he had gathered more evidence and more proof…

But there was no time for deliberating that now. He sighed, and clasped the girl's hand in his. He closed his eyes, and slid into a light, easy sleep, wandering through the various dream realms until he found the one he was looking for…

*      ~      *

Eli wandered through the meadow, her arms swinging at her sides as the wind blew by, ruffling her hair and making the blades of grass ripple in front of her like an endless, undulating sea of green.

She smiled, something that she rarely ever did. How could she NOT smile, when the whole world around her was pleasant and peaceful? _I wish that I didn't have to go back out anymore. I wish that I could just stay here and never have to leave…_

She flopped down onto the grass beneath a tall tree on a hill, the grass offering a soft cushion from the hard ground. She stretched her arms out to their fullest span on the herbage, and looked on as the light of the sun winked and glimmered between the waving tree limbs. She could stay here forever, and be happy…

"I am sorry, my child, but you have been living in your dreams for far too long. Do you not think it is about time you awoke and returned to reality?"

Eli sat up slowly, lazily. She hadn't expected anyone to be in her dreams. She looked around, and saw a tall man standing beside the tree, clad in long robes of silver-white and brown. His seemingly ageless face and glimmering gray eyes were framed by long dark hair that was partially braided, but most of it was left loose and free to be tossed about by the wind. However, what caught her attention the most were the man's ears. They were pointed towards the tips, like the ears of an elf. She eyed him with narrowed eyes. "Who are you? Are you some kind of elf or something?"

The man chuckled somewhat as he sat down beside her, leaning his back against the tree for support. "You are correct on that point, my dear. But why do you seem so surprised to see an Elf such as I?"

"Because you aren't supposed to exist. Of course, this is a dream, so anything can happen, but I didn't think you'd turn out to be so…tall. I thought that Elves were only three or even two feet high at the most?"

The man – or was that Elf? – laughed at her words. "I do not know where you come from or what Elves are like in your land, but I am an Elf, and I am not that short. Perhaps you may be referring to Halflings?"

Now Eli was confused. "Eh? What's a Halfling?"

The Elf smiled at her kindly, and shook his head. "That will be enough questions for now, young lady." He stood up, and held his hand out to her. "Now, why don't we leave this place for now? You have been asleep for much too long, and I believe that now is the right time for you to return."

Eli stood up, eyeing the Elf warily. After a moment of thought, she nodded, and touched the Elf's palm. There was a blinding flash of light, and then darkness…

*      ~      *

Eli's eyes flew wide open as her body gave a sharp jerk. _What the… As her eyes focused in the light, she could see four blurry figures around her; one in a chair at her right, another seated at her left, and two standing at the end of the bed. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, and when it finally did, she couldn't suppress a gasp._

She was lying in a huge bed, propped up by a mountain of soft pillows and wrapped in thick blankets. She was no longer wearing her school uniform, but was clad in a white nightgown made of a soft cloth she didn't recognize. 

And as for the four figures around her, Eli looked at each of them in turn, and felt her eyes slowly widen with shock. On her left sat the tall Elf who had visited her in her dreams. To her right was an extraordinarily beautiful young woman, who looked a lot like the feminine version of the man who got her out of her dreams. And at the foot her bed was a pair of twins, apparently the brothers of the young woman. All of them had pointy ears.

The woman smiled, and spoke to her in a kind and gentle voice, but her words were laced with an unusual accent Eli couldn't identify, "At last, you have awakened, child."

Eli stared at her. "Who are you? And why are you calling me a child?"

The woman laughed softly. "Forgive me for calling you a child, but at my age, you truly ARE a child. I am Arwen, daughter of Elrond, the one who called you forth from the dream realm." She lifted a hand to indicate the twins. "And these are my brother, Elladan and Elrohir. They were the ones who found you at the ford."

"What?" Everything was a still a blur memory-wise to Eli, but after a moment's thinking, everything became clear. So clear, in fact, that she winced when she remembered. "Oh yeah, right." She bowed her head slightly, trying to compose her thoughts. _This is just too freaky for me…_

A firm hand clamped around her wrist, and she looked up to see the man looking at her intently. "I believe that now would be a good time to tell us who you are."

Eli nodded. "I am Elisabeth Carnahan, but I prefer to be called Eli. And who might you be, sir?"

He nodded just a little in response. "I am Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, and father of Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir."

Eli blinked, digesting the information. "Okay…now that you know my name, may I know where I am?"

Arwen was the one to answer her. "You are in the Elf-Realm of Rivendell. And you, Lady Eli, where are you from?"

"That's going to be a little TOO hard to explain…" Eli tried to think up how she would tell these people. _After all, it doesn't take a genius to know that I've ended up in a completely different world…but HOW I ended up here will be something I can't answer._

"Please try then, Lady Eli," Elladan encouraged. 

Eli gazed up at him, eyeing him critically, her hazel eyes meeting his gray ones in what seemed to be a clash of wills. But she was the first one to look away. "Fine then. I'll tell you what happened…"

*      *      *

"And that's that."

Elladan stared at her, his mind spinning at the tale that Lady Eli had told them. _It seems too fantastic to be true, but still, too strange to be considered mere fiction. Then again, it could have been Lady Eli's beautiful hazel eyes that were making his thoughts whirl…_

Elrond nodded in response to her telling them the whole story. "Thank you for telling us this story, Lady Eli." He stood up, smiling kindly at the girl. "Forgive us, but we must leave for now. I will send two maidens here to help you dress in more appropriate clothing, then Arwen will accompany you in a walk around Rivendell."

A small smile made its appearance on her face; so small that only the keen eyes of an Elf would have seen it. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Elrond." The smile disappeared, and was replaced by a frown. "Oh, and I just remembered something. By any chance, did you see my friend? She was dressed in clothes like mine when Elladan and Elrohir found me, but her hair is longer than mine, and it's straight and reddish-brown. Also, her eyes aren't light like mine, but a deep dark brown."

It was Elrohir who spoke. "I do not wish to bring such bad tidings to you right now, My Lady, but my brother and I have scoured the forest and the ford the past two days, and we did not see any sign of a girl with clothes like yours." He smiled. "But fear not! I shall go to Mirkwood and Lothlorien, and see for myself what news they have of the girl you speak of."

"And I shall go with him," Elladan volunteered, slightly sorry that he hadn't made the first offer to go out and seek Lady Eli's friend. 

Elrond nodded his approval. "Very well then. You will leave at the soonest possible moment. Go first to Lothlorien, then to Mirkwood. I am certain that they will have news." With that, he bowed slightly in politeness. "My sons and I shall leave you for now, Lady Eli." 

Elladan and Elrohir imitated their father's gesture, and followed him out the door. A few moments later, Arwen joined them in the hall. 

Elladan gazed at his father, and noticed that his face suddenly looked troubled. ^Is something the matter, Father?^

Elrond sighed, shrugging his shoulders slightly. ^Many Ages have come and gone, yet this is the first time that that Prophecy has come true. Is the evil we are about to face so great that the Summoners are needed?^

^You speak in riddles, Father,^ Arwen murmured. ^Would you kindly explain to us what you mean?^

Elrond turned then to his sons and daughter. ^Let us go to the library then. That is the best place for me to explain this matter to you.^

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, wrapped this one up! Man, this story's getting LOOONG!!!! If anyone must know, I have a tendency to write epics, and THIS is one of them! If I'm not careful, I just might end up writing a story with the same length as Tolkien's laughs! But I'll try to keep the number of pages down. Oh yeah, and from now on I'll constantly be switching between Common and Elvish, but you can probably tell which dialogue is in Common and which ones are in Elvish. Anyway, the two girls are awake, and they're up and running (not literally though). Now is the PERFECT time to bring on the messengers asking Thranduil to join the Council of Elrond! This is where the REAL action begins! See ya next chapter!


	9. Chapter Eight: The Messengers

Chapter Eight: The Messengers 

Camille smiled as she meandered through the lush foliage and trees that grew in the massive gardens of Mirkwood. The sunlight pierced through the thick canopy of elm leaves above her, while a gentle breeze made them fall down on the path in front of her, covering it in a golden carpet.

It was autumn, and the leaves had begun to change their color in preparation for winter. _I've never seen autumn before… She smiled as she whistled a random tune to herself, trying to get the birds to sing with her._

Many months had come and gone while she had been at Mirkwood, but they passed quickly enough for her. Everyone was kind and gracious to her, most especially King Thranduil and Legolas. Over time, she had managed to build a strong bond of friendship with the prince, while she looked to King Thranduil as a fatherly-type figure. 

Those months hadn't been wasted in laziness, either. She had trained with Legolas to learn how to shoot a bow, which she did with little success initially. Her skills gradually improved, however, and though her skills still weren't on par with Legolas', she had done a pretty good job already.

As for horseback riding, that was a skill she didn't lack. Having lived on a horse ranch for nearly five years of her life, she was skilled enough to be considered a good rider by the Elves, who were very good themselves, even though she lacked the skill to ride them barebacked, like they did; she still needed a bridle, reins, and saddle. King Thranduil even gave her a horse of her own: a beautiful mare she had named Luna, in recognition of her silver-white mane and tail that spread over her gleaming gray coat like moonlight over a millpond. 

When she wasn't tinkering with her bow or out in the fields riding Luna, Camille spent her time with Enarwen and Falurien, trying to learn Elvish from them. As she eventually found out, there were TWO kinds of Elvish: Quenya and Sindarin. After a bit of explanation, Camille realized that Quenya was more of a "ceremonial language", though it was still spoken by some of the High Elves. Sindarin was the more commonly used version, which had been derived from Quenya. Either way, however, Camille STILL had a hard time trying to learn either of the two. She just couldn't get used to the soft, flowing way of speaking Elvish, finding it hard to unlearn some of the speech patterns she had been used to. She could read it, yes, and she could understand it, but not if it was spoken quickly, as it too often was.

She stopped in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice from the treetops speak to her in Sindarin Elvish, ^What are you doing here, Eriol?^

Camille rolled her eyes. _Legolas. Having long ago decided that she would NOT attempt to speak to any of the Elves in their own tongue unless absolutely necessary, she answered him in the Common Speech, "Get down from the tree, Legolas. I don't want to strain my neck while I talk to you."_

There was a soft thud from her left, and when she turned to look, Legolas smiled at her as he approached. "Why are you not speaking in Sindarin? I thought that Enarwen and Falurien were teaching you how?"

"They're teaching me, but I can't get used to it," Camille replied. "I'm used to speech patterns that just won't conform to Sindarin – or any kind of Elvish, for that matter. And besides, I think that it's enough that I can read Elvish script and understand the spoken version. That way you and your father can't talk behind my back."

Legolas smiled at her mischievously, his eyes twinkling. "And what makes you say that Father and I have been talking about you behind your back?"

Camille wagged a finger at him. "I KNOW these things, Legolas. It's called 'female intuition'." 

^Ah, I give up! Why is it that ALL women have to be so complicated?!^ Legolas threw his hands up in the air in an act of mock-exasperation to complement his words. He glanced at her. ^And I had hoped that you wouldn't be like all the rest, Eriol.^

"Why do you have to call me Eriol now?" Camille groaned as she rolled her eyes at the Prince. "What is it, some kind of pet name or something?"

Legolas shook his head, and his smile and gaze became slightly tender. "In a way. Eriol means 'One Who Dreams Alone' in Elvish. And I believe that it is a suitable name for you."

Camille lowered her gaze, and felt herself blush to the roots of her hair. There was something about the way Legolas talked to her, looked at her, and acted around her that simply made her heart flutter and the heat rise to her face. _He makes me feel like I'm the most beautiful creature on Middle-Earth…even if I know that the other Elf-maidens are prettier than I am…_

He clasped her hand, and tugged her gently down the path. He grinned at her, suddenly reverting to being the enthusiastic and down-to-earth Elf who had quickly become her best friend in this strange world. "Let us go for a ride, Camille. Autumn is the best season for riding."

Camille quickly glanced down at her clothing. She was still wearing the pants and shirt Falurien had given her for riding. Smiling, she followed Legolas down the path. "Sure, let's go!"

*      *      *

Legolas felt the wind in his face as he urged his horse Celeberiseth onwards. Beside him was Camille, a brilliant smile on her face as she too urged her horse Luna onwards, the beautiful beast now neck-in-neck with his. By the time they reached the stream that would be their finish line, Luna had nosed in ahead of Celeberiseth.

"HAH!!!! Beat you this time!" Camille declared triumphantly as she reined in her horse. Luna first slowed down to a canter, then a trot, and finally to a slow walk as they approached the banks of the brook. They stopped at last, and Camille gracefully swung her leg over the side of the horse, and got off, landing on the thick grass with barely a sound.

Legolas gazed at her as he got off Celeberiseth. _Even if she dresses like a Mirkwood archer, she still looks so beautiful. She was clad in soft leather breeches the color of the earth, as well as a dark green tunic over a white shirt. The breeches were held around her waist by a black leather belt with a silver buckle. As for her feet, they were shod in leather riding boots that came up to the middle of her calf. _

But there was no denying that even with such masculine clothing, her femininity still shone through. In fact, the close-fitting clothes only served to bring out her curves. There was no mistaking the swell of her breasts, tapering down to a narrow waist, and then flaring out again over her hips and thighs. 

Legolas only snapped out of his thoughts when Camille spoke to him. "This place is beautiful, Legolas. Why didn't you bring me here before?"

The Prince smiled slightly as he walked up to her. She was standing near the edge of the stream, her eyes gazing westward towards the mountains. The sun was setting, and set the entire landscape ablaze in reds, purples, and gold. He laid a hand on her shoulder as he replied, "I was saving the best for last. On a clear day, one can see Imladris, or Rivendell as some people call it. It lies over those mountains, hidden within the Ford of Bruinen. In that fair land dwells Lord Elrond the Half-Elven, and with him reside his sons, the brethren Elladan and Elrohir, and his daughter, Arwen, whom we call Undomiel, for she is the Evenstar of our people."

Camille nodded in response. "I see. Evenstar…that must mean she is very beautiful, then. I wonder if I will ever get the chance to meet her."

"You will, someday soon," Legolas replied with a shrug.

Camille laughed, but there was a sad tone to it that made Legolas look at her. "Maybe for you, but remember, I'm only mortal. What may seem as 'someday' to you may actually mean 'never' to me."

Legolas winced at her words. _Of course, she's right. How could I have forgotten about that? He bowed his head, and kissed her hand lightly. ^Forgive me, Eriol. I didn't mean to insult you…^_

"It's okay. We've been together so long and so often that you sometimes forget that I'm mortal, and there are times when I forget that you're actually immortal. It goes both ways, at least." Camille pulled her hand away from his grasp, and moved to stand a little farther away from him. Her dark brown eyes were lost in thought as she looked towards the darkening peaks.

Legolas was silent as well, but then, his keen hearing picked up the sound of galloping horses. _Something's not right. He took his bow, and removed an arrow from his quiver._

Camille must have noticed his gesture, because she walked swiftly towards him, her eyes worried. "Legolas? What's wrong?"

^Get onto Luna,^ Legolas whispered, unconsciously slipping into Sindarin as he spoke. ^Ready your bow, and nock an arrow, if need be. Be prepared for anything.^

Camille opened her mouth as if to argue, but she closed it, and mounted Luna. She readied her bow, and held an arrow in one hand.

Legolas watched two riders drew nearer. He squinted in the afternoon glare, trying to see who or what they were. When they were around five leagues away, he finally saw their features: long dark brown hair, piercing gray eyes, and gray Elven cloaks flying in the breeze. _Elladan and Elrohir. He turned to Camille, and smiled. "It is alright, Camille. We have nothing to fear from these riders."_

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure?"

He laughed lightly as he approached her horse, holding his arms out to her. "Yes, I am certain. Now, give me your hands. Allow me to help you down."

"You're being quite a gentleman now, Legolas Greenleaf!" Camille exclaimed with a laugh as she held her arms out to him, balancing them on his shoulders as he placed his hands around her waist and lifted her up from the saddle and placed her on the ground.

Camille looked towards the west, and her lips fell down into a frown. She could see the horses now, and hear them as well. Seeing that the girl had now fallen into a different mindset, Legolas pulled away from her, but still stood close, watching as the two horses and their riders drew ever nearer.

*      *      *

Elrohir could not help but grin when he saw what lay before him. _This is a charming scene. There was a stream and a small grove dead ahead, and his keen Elven eyes saw two figures standing there, talking and laughing with each other. One he recognized as his friend Legolas Greenleaf, the son of King Thranduil and heir of Mirkwood. Beside him was a young girl, dressed like a Mirkwood archer, down to the bow and quiver that she carried with her. However, this girl was no Elf, if her eyes and her ears were any indication of that. _

Elladan moved his horse closer to Elrohir's, a note of curiosity in his voice. ^Who do you think that maiden with Legolas could be? Fair as an Elf-maiden she is, and yet she is only a mortal! What could a mortal such as her be doing here in Mirkwood?^

Elrohir shrugged. ^That is not our business to ask. We shall know if Legolas or King Thranduil or the lady herself chooses to tell us.^ 

They had come close to the two now, who were standing with grave looks on their faces, looking on at them. Elrohir smiled, and held up his hand. ^Worry not so much, friend Legolas! Long it has been since my brother and I have visited your kingdom, and this is the welcome we get from you?^

A smile broke on the Prince's face while the two dismounted, and he walked up to them, holding up his hand in greeting. ^It has been a long while, dear friends, since you last came here. What brings you out of Imladris this time? Out hunting Orcs again?^

Elladan shook his head, and though he smiled, his eyes were grave. ^I am afraid we come for other reasons, my friend, though we have had some dealings with Orcs on our way here. But that was not our purpose.^

"Is this a private party or can I join?"

Elrohir looked up, his gaze falling on the girl he had seen with Legolas. She was standing beside a gray horse with a tail and mane as white as moonlight, a cocky smile twisting her dark rose lips slightly, while her dark brown eyes twinkled with mirth. He smiled back at her, and bowed. "Forgive us for not recognizing you earlier, My Lady, but Legolas has not introduced us yet."

Legolas walked up to the girl, and smiled at her. "Yes, forgive me. Elladan, Elrohir, this is Lady Camille Selvitar, a…guest at the palace. Camille, these are the sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir."

Elrohir stepped up, and gently kissed the Lady's hand, as was proper. "I see. It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lady. Forgive us for speaking in Elvish earlier; we did not know you were there."

The girl – Camille – smiled brightly, and shrugged. "It's okay, it wasn't a problem. I can understand Elvish, but I'm not so good at speaking it. That's why I'm sticking to talking in Westron; I've made a personal note to myself NEVER to talk in Elvish unless absolutely necessary."

"Surely you meant that in jest, My Lady!" Elladan exclaimed as he too bent down to kiss the Lady's hand. "Elvish is a beautiful tongue!"

"That's the point! I'm not used to talking it, and when I DO talk in Elvish, it just doesn't sound the way it should. I don't think it's good to talk in such a lovely language if I'm just going to botch the job, right?"

Elrohir laughed at her joke, amused at this girl's easygoing nature. In fact, there was something about her manner of speech that he found very familiar…

It took him a while before he realized whom it was. _Lady Eli._ In fact, he soon realized, the girl standing before him fit the Lady's description of the friend she had lost. Long straight reddish-brown hair, gleaming dark brown eyes…the resemblance was uncanny. _Dare I hope that this girl is the one Elladan and I promised to find?_

But he knew that there were other reasons why he and his brother came here. He turned to Legolas. ^We must go to the palace now. We have come here to deliver a message to your Father.^

The Prince's face became serious again. ^Is that so? Well then, we must go now. We cannot tarry here longer.^ He turned to Lady Camille. "Camille, we must go back to the palace now."

The girl nodded, and didn't say anything further. She merely walked up to her horse, and got onto it swiftly. The beast stirred under her weight, nickering slightly as she made it turn towards the direction of the palace with but a slight touch of the reins. "Let's go then."

Elrohir sprang onto his horse, his action imitated by his brother. Soon, the four riders were off, heading towards the Palace of the Elvenking.

*      *      *

Thranduil had felt that something was wrong the moment he saw that four riders instead of two had returned from the west. He had seen his son and the Lady Camille ride out of the gates earlier that afternoon, and now, in the darkening twilight, they were returning with two more riders in their company.

Thranduil had recognized them as they rode into the courtyard. _The brethren Elladan and Elrohir…news from Rivendell?_

He waited a little impatiently in the throne room, wishing to hear right away the reason why the twins had come to Mirkwood. _For certainly it isn't to ask for a place to rest after hunting Orcs…they are dressed too lightly for that._

At long last, two dark-haired Elves entered the room, bowing low before him. One of them, whom Thranduil recognized as Elladan, said, ^Good evening, Thranduil, King of Mirkwood. We thank you for seeing us on such short notice.^

Thranduil smiled slightly. ^Rise, Elladan, Elrohir, sons of Elrond. I see that you are dressed lightly; you have not come to Mirkwood for rest after another Orc-hunt, have you?"

Elrohir nodded as he straightened up. ^Unfortunately, no, Your Majesty. We come bearing news from our Father, Lord Elrond of Rivendell. He wishes that you come right away to Imladris for a Council. If you cannot come yourself, then he asks that you at least send a representative in your stead."

Thranduil sighed, his thoughts immediately going to Legolas and Camille. _It is as I feared. The evil has spread almost completely. For why else would Elrond call a Council? Mirkwood is too close to the source of this Evil, and she will not be safe here any longer. The farther she is from this place, the better._ He looked up at the twins, and nodded. ^Very well then. I cannot go myself, but I shall send Legolas as my representative.^ He stood up. ^But for now, rest here in Mirkwood! You may leave during the dawn, or stay longer, if you choose.^

Elladan shook his head, not ungratefully. ^We thank you for such kind hospitality, Your Majesty, but I am afraid that my brother and I are wanted elsewhere. By your leave, we shall take a few supplies, and then be on our way.^ He paused a moment, then said, ^Your Majesty, may I put forth a question and a request?^

Thranduil raised his eyebrow, but nodded. ^You may.^

^Thank you.^ Elladan took a deep breath. ^Your Majesty, that girl…Lady Camille Selvitar, if I remember correctly…did she mention anything about a friend of hers, a girl she calls Eli?^

Surprise lit up Thranduil's eyes for a moment, but he answered in the affirmative. ^Yes, she says she has a friend by that name. We have been searching the whole of Mirkwood for her ever since Lady Camille awakened. She seemed terribly anxious to find her friend again.^ His gray eyes darkened slightly as realization dawned on him. ^So this Eli that Lady Camille spoke of is in Rivendell?^

Elladan nodded. ^Indeed, she is. We found her in the forests near Bruinen, being chased by a large group of Orcs. She managed to cross the river just as Elrohir and I arrived. She fell unconscious just as we had reached her. We took her back to Rivendell, where she slumbered for two days until Father awoke her with his skill.^

_Orcs._ ^You say that when you found Lady Eli, she was being chased by Orcs?^ Thranduil muttered. ^How odd. When Legolas found Lady Camille in Mirkwood, an Orc, only one, was chasing her, but it stabbed her in the right shoulder with a poisoned blade. He brought her here to be treated, and luckily, she was saved.^ He glanced again at the two. ^Now what is your request?^

It was Elrohir who answered. ^Our request is this: that when Legolas sets out for Rivendell, Lady Camille should accompany him. We made a promise to Lady Eli that we would find her friend, and now that we have, we wish to send her to Rivendell to be reunited with her friend. She cannot accompany us, for we shall not return to Imladris right away. That is why we wish that she goes with Legolas to Rivendell. A smaller company will be less noticeable, and they shall be going straight for Rivendell. The sooner she gets there, the better.^

^I see. Yes, I understand it now,^ Thranduil said thoughtfully. ^Very well then, I shall speak to my son and the Lady about this tonight.^

Elladan and Elrohir bowed. ^Many thanks, King Thranduil.^

*      *      *

Legolas stood by Camille's door, waiting for her to appear. He sighed impatiently as he leaned against the wall. _Why is it that women take so long to get ready?_

At long last, the door opened, and out stepped Camille. She was clad in a flowing Elven-dress, pale blue in color, while her hair was left loose around her shoulders, with only a small strip of blue silk on her head to keep the locks from falling over her face. Her feet were shod in slippers of blue velvet. She smiled at him apologetically. "Sorry if I took so long. Enarwen and Falurien were making a big fuss about what I should wear."

Legolas smiled at her, his initial impatience now melting away at the sight of her so finely arrayed. ^It was worth the wait, Eriol.^ He held his arm out to her, encouraging her to take it. "Now, let us go. My Father waits for us in the library."

The girl nodded, and slipped her arm through his, letting him lead her. Arm in arm they walked through the palace, he clad in a silver tunic and loose-fitting pants of the same color, and she in the light blue Elven-dress. Though they did not notice it, many of the Elves in the palace who saw them pass remarked about how lovely a couple they made, and rumor flew about that they would soon see a wedding to unite Mirkwood and the kingdom from which the Princess Camille came from.

But the two being talked about paid no heed, for they had other thoughts in mind. They soon reached the library, and as soon as they walked through the doors, Thranduil, who had been sitting in an armchair close to the fire, said, ^Please close the doors, Legolas. This is a matter I do not wish anyone else but the two of you to hear.^

Legolas did as he was told, then turned to Thranduil. ^Father, what is this matter that you wish to tell us?^

Thranduil smiled at him slightly. ^Please, take a seat, the two of you.^ After Camille and Legolas did as he asked, he continued, ^Elladan and Elrohir have brought me much news from Rivendell. First of all of this is for the Lady.^ He turned to Camille, and smiled. "My Lady, it seems that your lost friend has been found."

A smile suddenly lit up the whole of Camille's face. "Really?!?! They found Eli?!?! Where is she?!"

"She is in Rivendell, and awaits your arrival."

Legolas was confused. "Awaits her arrival? Father, do you intend to send Camille to Rivendell?" He discreetly clenched his hand into a fist, hoping that his father had not seen it. _Please, tell me this is not so! _

Thranduil nodded. "Aye, that is right. Lady Camille will travel to Rivendell, but she will not travel alone. For Elladan and Elrohir brought me other news." Here, he frowned again. ^Lord Elrond has summoned a Council. He has asked me to be present, but since I cannot go, I have decided to send you, Legolas, as my representative. Also, since Lady Camille is traveling with you, you shall act as her protector.^ He shook his head. ^These times are dangerous. Mirkwood is no longer as safe as I had hoped it would be. It is good that Lord Elrond has offered to take in Lady Camille. The farther away she is from Mordor, the better.^ 

Legolas smiled slightly. Though it hurt him that this mission would take him far away from his homeland, the fact that he would be traveling with Camille made him feel a little better. _At least she will come with me, and I will be able to protect her should the need arise._ He looked at his father with a determined gaze. ^I shall do as you request, Father. When do we leave?^

Thranduil smiled, evidently proud of his son's answer. "I believe that it would be best to leave the day after tomorrow. Use that time to get your provisions together, and prepare everything that you will need for the journey."

"Yes, Father." Legolas turned to Camille, and it seemed that she had listened and understood every single word of their conversation, Elvish and all. There was something akin to fear in her eyes, and worry, but beneath that burned a fire of courage and steel will that would face anything at all, even if it was an entire battalion of Orcs. And when Legolas saw that fire, he felt his heart lighten a little, for he knew that here was one girl who would not yield so easily to anything, be it an Orc or Sauron himself.

_It is too bad that there are few with hearts like hers. We could find a great use for them in these troubled times._

AUTHOR'S NOTES: FINALLY, another chapter done! I think my writing seems to have improved, and almost seems to match Tolkien's style of writing…though I know I could NEVER imitate him. I come close enough, anyway laughs! Oh yeah, and I pilfered the name "Eriol" from "The Book of Lost Tales I"; from now on, whenever Legolas talks in Elvish to Camille, he'll call her by that name, but ONLY when talking in Elvish or when he wants to tease her. ANYWAY, on to the next chapter! Legolas and Camille are going to Rivendell for the Council of Elrond, and Camille is excited to see Eli again. But there are some things that will be uncovered in the next few chapters, even as Elrond throws a feast to celebrate Frodo's awakening and the arrival of the Mirkwood party. How is this information related to our two heroines? And what have they got to do with the One Ring and gulp Sauron himself? Stay tuned for the next chapters!


	10. Chapter Nine: Arwen's Revelation

Chapter Nine: Arwen's Revelation 

Eli awoke to another beautiful morning in her room in Rivendell. The sunlight streamed through her partially open window, and brought some warmth to her room. Throwing the covers back, she shivered when the cool autumn air hit her body. _Winter's coming soon…_ She smiled to herself. _I've never seen snow before. I wonder what it's like?_

She put on a robe that was laid out nearby, and walked over to the closet. She pulled it open, and revealed a marvelous array of dresses in different colors, styles, and textures of cloth. She scrutinized each one, and after a long while, selected a dress the color of a buttercup, with long sleeves and a golden sash for the waist. There was a matching pair of velvet slippers for this, so she took those as well. 

After taking a moment to neatly fold everything, she took the bundle in her arms, and made her way towards the bathroom. Steam rose from the small pool in the center of the room, and the scent of hyacinth and crocuses swirled through the air.

Eli stripped off her nightclothes, and cautiously dipped her body into the water. It took a while for her to get used to the temperature of the water, but after a moment, she relaxed, and leaned back against the wall of the pool, letting her thoughts drift.

Exactly seven months and two weeks had passed since she first arrived in this strange place, which everyone here called Middle-Earth. And during those seven months, she did A LOT of things. First and foremost, she had to try and maintain the image that Elrond had woven for her: that she was a princess from a country far to the East. Of course, this was rather difficult for Eli, since she wasn't a princess in the first place, and she wasn't used to acting like one, either. But somehow, thanks to Arwen, she managed to keep up the act.

But when she wasn't trying to act like a princess, Eli had a lot of fun with Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir. It pleased them to know that she could ride a horse and shoot a bow, so they often invited her to go out on rides with them, or challenged her to a contest. Eli had laughed at them, and told them never to underestimate the skills of a woman. Arwen had wholeheartedly agreed to that.

But still, Eli didn't like talking about her home world much. The only one she talked in earnest with about the matter was Elrond, and even then, only when he asked her. And so far, she had only gone so far as to tell him that she had been trained in archery and horseback-riding since she was a little girl; that this was common enough in her world; and that she was skilled enough to protect herself.

Of course, one does not spend time with the Elves without learning something. And during this time, Eli learnt their language, and bits and pieces of their culture when she could. Luckily she was proficient with languages, and the soft singing pronunciation of Elvish attracted her and made her eager to learn it. In her mind, she had compared it to Italian and French, which were almost the same in that they sounded best when spoken softly and a little quickly.

She hauled herself out of the bath, and changed quickly into the clothes she had brought with her. Rubbing a towel through her hair, she walked out of the bathroom to find Imhiriel, an Elf-maiden whom Elrond assigned as her personal handmaiden, waiting for her by the dressing table, a brush and a few pins in her hand.

Imhiriel smiled as Eli approached. Though she was supposed to be her handmaiden, their relationship was more of friendship than that of a servant to a master. ^You are awake early, Eli. What dreams have caused you stir out of bed?^

Eli sighed as she sat down in front of the mirror, letting Imhiriel do her hair for her. "I don't know. I feel that something is going to happen today. Whether it is good or bad, I don't know, but I DO feel certain that it's going to be big."

Imhiriel laughed, slipping into Westron when her friend didn't respond in Elvish, as she usually did when anyone started a conversation with her in the language. "Your sense of intuition amazes me sometimes, Eli. Perhaps you are referring to the feast that Lord Elrond will hold tonight?"

Eli narrowed her eyes at the maiden through the mirror. "A feast? Since when did Lord Elrond want to throw a feast?"

"Since he heard that the royal party from Mirkwood would be arriving for the Council, and since Gandalf the Gray arrived a few days ago."

"Oh." Eli fell silent, allowing Imhiriel to do her hair in peace and quiet. She had heard that a Council would be held a few days from now; most likely tomorrow, if everything went as planned, and that a very important topic would be discussed. WHAT topic it was Eli didn't know, since Elrond seemed a little reluctant to tell her anything when she asked.

_But how come he wants me to come to the Council, even if I don't know anything? It's not like I'm going to be able to help if I've got no idea what they're talking about._ Before she had asked Elrond about the topic for the Council, he had told her that he wished her to be present. When she asked why, Elrond gave her the vague response that whatever might be said there might help her find her way home.

Finding him a little useless, she decided to put her persuasive powers to the test by questioning Gandalf the Gray, a wizard from who-knows-where. When the two of them had first talked, Eli couldn't help but be reminded of Camille, especially from the rather hasty way he talked. However, even if he talked fast, Gandalf was wise, and didn't say anything that didn't or shouldn't be said. As anyone could tell, she couldn't extract a single bit of information from him. 

There were more. Just three months after she first arrived in Rivendell, another person showed up. It was Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit from a place in the West known as the Shire. Apparently Bilbo was Elrond's old friend, having met him during the his "adventure" with thirteen Dwarves and Gandalf, and that he was planning to stay in Rivendell permanently to finish his book.

From the moment Elrond introduced Eli to Bilbo, the two of them became fast friends. Eli liked the Hobbit's easygoing and sometimes sarcastic nature, and Bilbo enjoyed her quick-wittedness and rather sharp tongue. He was the first one whom Eli approached to ask about the upcoming Council, but Bilbo wouldn't say much about it either. He said that Elrond told him not to mention anything about it to anyone else, even if SHE was one of those invited to come.

"There now, that's done."

Eli brought herself out of her reverie, and stared at herself in the mirror. The hair around her face was now pulled back in a sort of up-do, held back by a couple of pins that disappeared into her hair perfectly. She smiled at Imhiriel. "Thanks, Imhiriel. You've done a wonderful job. Normally I wouldn't spend so much time on my hair, but you always manage to make me look fantastic in so short a time."

Imhiriel laughed good-naturedly. ^Your gratitude is highly accepted, Eli.^ She put the brush and other hair implements back into the various drawers of the dressing table, and grinned at her friend. "Now go! Lady Arwen awaits you in the dining hall!"

Eli smiled, then turned, walking out the door and leaving Imhiriel to do her job.

*      *      *

Arwen looked up when her sensitive Elf ears picked up the sound of footsteps heading towards the hall. She sat up straighter, and smiled when the door opened, revealing a yellow-clad figure with slightly wavy black-brown hair framing golden hazel eyes. ^You have arrived, Eli.^

Eli smiled slightly at her in greeting, and approached. ^Good morning, Arwen.^ She took a seat beside her, and proceeded to eat her breakfast quietly.

Arwen looked on at the girl, a thoughtful glint in her eyes. She had been in Rivendell for quite a while already, and yet she was still a mystery to her. _No mortal can go for that long without being unraveled by an Elf._ But Elisabeth Carnahan was different from all the other mortals she had met. For one, she was from another world, and for another, she was extremely talented at keeping secrets. Not even the probing gaze of an Elf could get past the invisible barrier that she had built around herself.

At that moment, another door flew open, and four different pairs of feet were to be heard slapping against the stone floor of the hall. Eli paused a moment in her eating to see who had arrived.

Four different heads appeared on the other side of the table, but their owners were apparently so short that their chins barely cleared the top of the table. Arwen greeted them with smiles. "Good morning, dear Hobbits! How goes it with you today?"

It was Bilbo who answered her with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. "Ah, good morning to you, fair Lady Arwen, and to you too, Lady Eli!" He glanced at the three other Hobbits. They were younger than him, and seemed to be eyeing the food with greedy glints in their eyes. 

"Good morning, Bilbo," Eli said quietly, putting down her fork before she continued speaking. "Who are these companions of yours? I don't think I've met them before…"

"Ah, these are my young friends from the Shire, Lady Eli! That," Bilbo said, pointing to the most reticent of the three, "is Samwise Gamgee, or Sam, as we like to call him. This one," he pointed to a more cheerful-looking Hobbit, who seemed just slightly taller than his other companions, "is Meriadoc Brandybuck, but we all just call him Merry. And this last one is Peregrin Took, or Pippin, sometimes even Pip." He turned to the three Hobbits, and said, "My lads, before you sits one of the most beautiful ladies to ever walk the halls of Rivendell: the Lady Elisabeth Carnahan. She is the princess from a kingdom far away to the East, beyond the Iron Hills and the reach of the maps of any mapmaker in all of Middle-Earth."

Arwen looked on, amused, as the three Hobbits looked up at Eli, and watched as their eyes widened to the size of teacups when they saw her. 

Pippin swallowed his mouthful of food – he had already begun to eat – and asked, "A-are you an Elf, Lady Elisabeth?"

Eli smiled slightly, and shook her head. "No, I'm not an Elf, I'm just a plain old mortal girl. Please, call me Eli, or Lady Eli, if you must." She turned to Bilbo, and her eyes narrowed. "And Bilbo, if you're going to be calling anyone beautiful, it might as well be someone who deserves it, like Arwen or one of the other Elf-maidens."

"I don't see why anyone shouldn't call you beautiful, Lady Eli," Merry blurted out. "You're as pretty as any Elf-maiden, maybe prettier – well, not as pretty as Lady Arwen of course – but putting that aside, you deserve Bilbo's compliment. I thought you were another Elf-maiden, I did."

Bilbo laughed heartily, and he patted Merry on the back. "Well said lad, well said! Spoken like a true Brandybuck – all honesty and not much of wisdom, but that honest mouth of yours might bring you places yet!"

Arwen giggled to herself, and she noticed that Eli was laughing quietly as well, her shoulders quaking slightly with her suppressed laughter. When she had managed to recover, Arwen turned to Bilbo, and said, "How does your nephew fare, Bilbo?"

Bilbo shrugged, and his face darkened. "I do not know yet, My Lady. Lord Elrond says that he has taken out the shard of the Morgul-blade from Frodo's shoulder, and that he is safe from death now, but he does not wish to awaken him from his sleep. His journey here from the Shire has been particularly tiring for him, and he needs as much rest as he can get."

Arwen nodded. "I see." She fell silent for a while, thinking. _It is fortunate that the young Hobbit is out of harm's way. I can breathe easier now._

But that did not stop Eli's questioning. "Nephew? Bilbo, just who's this nephew you're talking about? And why did you say that his trip here was tiring?"

"Now is not the right time to ask such questions as that, I am afraid," Arwen said softly. Her father had told her not to let Eli know about anything that concerned Frodo and the burden he bore with him. She would know everything at the Council. She grinned. "I have an idea. Let us go riding, you and I, and stay away from this place for a while. Let us have a picnic, if you wish. Let us not return until the afternoon. By then, the party from Mirkwood should have arrived."

Eli cocked an eyebrow at her, and looked at her critically, but then, nodded in response. "Okay, sounds like fun. I'll meet you at the stables when we're through."

Arwen nodded, and turned back to her breakfast, relieved to have stopped any questions for the meantime.

*      *      *

Eli flopped down on the grass beside Arwen, the both of them clad in their usual Ranger's clothing. Whenever the two of them snuck out of the palace – which happened VERY often – they would don on these clothes, grab their bows and quivers along the way, then head to the stables for their horses. They would then ride out to the farther reaches of Rivendell, but they never chose to go anywhere near the Ford. The fear of Orcs attacking them was just too great.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here, Arwen?" Eli asked as she lazily closed her eyes, resting from the ride they had on the way to this spot. It was a small grove of oak trees, with a little spring running through it. Here, all was peaceful and quiet. Only Arwen and Eli knew of this place, and they retreated here often whenever they felt the need for privacy.

Arwen took a seat across from her. ^There is something I wish to tell you. Two things, actually.^

Eli didn't feel like opening her eyes. ^What then?^

Silence for a moment, then Arwen replied, ^Eli, I am in love with a mortal.^

^So? What does that – oh.^ Eli opened her eyes, and looked at her friend. In an attempt to lighten up the mood, she smirked, and asked, "So who's the lucky man?"

Arwen smiled slightly as well before replying, "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, but my brothers and I sometimes call him by the name of Estel. I am sure you have heard my brothers and myself speaking of him occasionally?"

"Uh huh, I do."

"And you have seen him, have you not?"

Eli paused a moment, thinking. _HAVE I seen him already?_ Searching her mind for an answer, a face finally popped into her head. It was of a tall man, with long grayish-brown hair and facial hair, and clear, piercing gray eyes. "Yeah, I think I remember him now. He was the one who came in the night before, right? The one who was walking with Glorfindel?"

Arwen nodded. "Aye, he was the one." Her face seemed slightly worried now. ^What did you think of him?^

^What do I think of him? Hmmm, you ask me a rather hard question, Arwen.^ Eli lowered her head slightly, thinking. After a moment, she looked back up again, and replied, ^I think that he seems rather nice. I am yet to find any fault in him, to be honest. The very brief time I have spent talking with him has left me a very good impression about him. I hold him in high regard now, but that may change as time goes on.^ She shrugged. ^Nonetheless, you should not let MY opinion change what you think of him, Arwen. After all, you HAVE spent more time with him. I have spent but a few minutes in his company, whereas YOU have been with him for most of his life.^

She grinned when Arwen blushed slightly, and ducked her head. ^I suppose you are right.^

Eli decided to ask a question of her own. ^Arwen, why do you seem so troubled by this? Why did you ask me that question?^

^I was considering giving up my immortality for his sake,^ Arwen answered softly. ^That is the only way it can be done. If Estel cannot be made immortal, in spite of the Elven blood that runs through his veins, then I shall become mortal for his sake. However, Father does not seem to agree with my wish. He desires that when all of this is over, I would join him in going over the Sea towards Eressea, and live there forever.^

Eli paused, thinking hard as she gazed at her friend. After a long pause, she spoke. ^Arwen, do you love him?^

Silence for a moment. ^Yes.^

^Do you really, really love him? Do you love him so much that you would be willing to die for him if you had to do so?^

^Yes, with all my heart.^

^Then the decision has been made.^ Eli gave her one of her rare, reassuring smiles. "There's a saying where I live: 'Love knows no time, no distance, no end. It only knows the here, the now, the beginning. Love goes on for all eternity, and will bridge any gap, even those created by time, space, and death.' So you see? Love him, Arwen. Don't let anyone dictate whom you should love. No one but yourself and nothing but your heart can make that decision for you."

Arwen smiled at her, and for the first time since getting to the grove, she seemed lighthearted again. ^From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your counsel, Lady Eli.^ Her smile became mischievous. ^Now I have news for you. Did you not know that there are two Elves who have their eye on you?^

Eli blinked in surprise. _Eh? Elves have their eye on me?_ ^Who might these Elves be, Arwen? I certainly have no idea.^

^Try to guess first, Eli,^ Arwen teased.

^Oh, is that how you play your game? Very well then. Glorfindel? I've seen him staring at me sometimes.^

A shake of the head.

^Lindir? He seems to be singing a lot of love songs these past few days.^

Still wrong.

^Gildor?^

Arwen's shoulders shook suddenly in silent laughter, but no, she was still wrong.

Eli was getting frustrated. _How am I going to pry the answer out of her?!?!?!_ At last, a slow smile crept onto her face, and she had a name that she was sure would get her the answer she need. ^Ah, I think I have it! Could it be…Erestor?^

That did it. Arwen threw her head back, and let her laughter escape. The sound rang clear and high against the trees. ^E-Erestor?!^ she stammered between laughs. ^What in the whole of Middle-Earth gave you THAT idea?!?!^

^I do not know. I just believed that it would get a certain reaction from you, Arwen.^ Eli smiled. ^As you can tell, I do not have any proper guesses. Please, let us end this odd riddle and tell me the answer!^

^Alright then, you shall have your answer,^ Arwen said as she paused to collect herself. After a moment, she spoke again, in a very serious tone, ^Eli, it is my brothers who have their eye on you.^

Eli felt all of the blood drain away from her face. "Your BROTHERS? As in Elladan and Elrohir?!"

Arwen laughed. ^Why do you seem so shocked, Eli? And of course, I am referring to Elladan and Elrohir. They ARE the only brothers I have.^

Eli shook her head, and turned away. She didn't know what to say. _Oh God, what has the world decided to do with me?!?!? Let an Elf – wait, TWO Elves – have a crush on me!!!! Okay, so it doesn't hurt that they're handsome, and smart, and kind, and…_ She shook her head. _This IS NOT the way it's supposed to be!!!!! I can't have the BOTH of them at the same time!!!! _She groaned, and thumped her head lightly against the trunk of the tree she was leaning on. "Oh sweet Lord, what have you decided to DO to me?!?!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Heheheh, decided to have a little fun there with Eli! Oh, and if any of you are wondering…Erestor is one of Elrond's chief counselors. Judging from the way I imagine him, he's quite old, but not physically, naturally. And the reason why Arwen found this so funny is that Erestor doesn't take any interest in ANY female, much less a girl like Eli. Anyway, now that that's done, let's move on to the next chapter: the party of two from Mirkwood has arrived, and Frodo is FINALLY awake. Eli and Camille meet at last! See ya next chapter!


	11. Chapter Ten: Reunions, Stories, and Crus...

Chapter Ten: Reunions, Stories, and Crushes 

Camille pulled the reins slightly as she and Legolas approached Rivendell. As the horse slowed, she took time to gaze in awe at the beauty that lay before her. "Wow…"

Beside her, Legolas chuckled at her amazed look. "It is indeed beautiful, is it not? That is Rivendell, which we call Imladris in Elven-speech, the Last Homely House east of the Sea. There is none other that is like it in all of Middle-Earth."

Camille continued to stare, her mouth hanging open slightly. She looked on at the white roofs and columns of Rivendell as they glimmered in the waning sunlight, interspersed by fountains, pools, streams, and trees, all in a magical combination that seemed to make the place seem very similar to Paradise. "There's nothing like THAT in our world, that's for sure! Amazing how all of these buildings were built, without destroying the natural beauty of this place…in fact, the buildings seem to fit right in and enhance the scenery!"

"That is the way of Elven architecture, Camille," Legolas said quietly.

Camille raised an eyebrow as she glanced at him. _Why does he sound all gloomy all of a sudden?_ "Legolas, what's the matter? Why do you sound so sad?"

There was silence for a while, and then Camille smiled in understanding. "Let me take a guess: you miss Mirkwood, don't you?"

The Prince looked back at her, and he nodded. "Yes, I do. It has been my home for most of the 2100 years of my immortal life, and will remain as such forever."

Camille grinned at him, trying her best to hide her own sadness. "I know how you feel, Legolas. It's been a very long while since I last saw my own home, and even if I don't show it, I miss it a lot. I don't know how or when I'll be able to go back, and that's the sad part of it. Whereas you can go running back to Mirkwood anytime you want, I can't do the same thing."

The sound of twittering birds and rustling leaves filled in the silence as the two drew ever closer to Rivendell. Just before their horses walked past the gates, Legolas reached out, and pulled the reins, making Luna halt. Camille looked at him, and felt her throat become dry when she met his dark blue eyes.

^Listen to me, Eriol,^ he whispered to her in Sindarin. ^Whatever may happen, whatever the future may bring, Mirkwood will always be open to you. It is your home as much as it is mine now. If you can find no means of returning to your own world, then remember that you can always go to Mirkwood and make it your home.^

At first, Camille couldn't make out an answer to that statement. She felt her mind whirling as she continued to stare at Legolas' eyes. _What is the matter with me? How come whenever Legolas talks to me or looks at me, my mind just HAS to take a vacation?!_ Finally regaining her composure, she smiled at the prince, and turned away. "Thanks for the offer, Legolas."

With that, the two of them continued on into Rivendell, where someone was already waiting for their arrival.

*      *      *

Elrond watched the two riders approach the main entrance of Rivendell, a somewhat amused smile on his face. One of the riders was a male, tall and just slightly darker in skin tone than he was, showing that he was of the Sindar; with golden hair and dark blue eyes, and the fair features of an Elf. He was clad in greens and browns, as was usually proper for the archers of Mirkwood. Elrond recognized him as Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, and heir to the throne of that kingdom.

But the rider beside the Prince he did not recognize. It was a young mortal woman, apparently just barely seventeen, with long auburn hair tied back in a single braid that straggled down her left shoulder like a rope, and dark brown eyes. However, though she was not an Elf, she was still quite beautiful, even by Elf standards. Her eyes contrasted nicely with her tan skin, which gleamed with a hint of burnished gold in the afternoon light. Her cheekbones were high, but not too defined, giving her a softer and overall more feminine look. Her lips, on the other hand, were full and tinged with a dark pink, as though the girl had rubbed the juice of berries over them to give them that particular shade. She was clothed like a Mirkwood archer, though Elrond very well knew that no mortals were to be found in that elite troop.

_Still, _Elrond thought, _whether she is mortal or not is none of my concern. _He smiled when the two riders dismounted, and approached him. ^Good afternoon, Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil! You are welcome in my House.^ He turned to the young lady, and bowed slightly. "As are you, fair lady."

Legolas smiled as well. ^Thank you for your greeting, Lord Elrond.^ He glanced briefly at his companion. "Lord Elrond, it is my greatest honor to introduce to you Lady Camille Selvitar, who, I believe, is the long lost friend of a certain Lady Elisabeth Carnahan. Camille, this is Lord Elrond, Master of Rivendell."

The young lady – Camille – smiled cheerfully at Elrond as she tipped her head down slightly in a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Elrond."

Elrond smiled down at the girl, and kissed her hand respectfully. "The pleasure is all mine, My Lady." He stepped back from the two guests, and gestured to the interior. "Now come, both of you! You have arrived just in time. A feast will be held in honor of your and a few other guests' arrival tonight, and you will need some time to rest and prepare." He turned to Camille, his smile kind and paternal. "And I believe that the young lady will want to spend some time with her friend before the feast."

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves clattering over the cobblestones resounded from the courtyard, and Elrond looked up to see who had arrived. What he saw was a sight he had gotten quite used to. Arwen and Eli had ridden in on their horses, after spending most of the day in the woods around Rivendell. Though it was now generally considered to be unsafe to go out into the woods, Elrond knew that these two girls were perfectly capable of protecting themselves from any Orcs they might happen to come across.

Arwen smiled at her father as she dismounted. ^Good afternoon Father.^ She glanced at Legolas, and smiled at him as well. ^Welcome back to Rivendell, Prince Legolas. It has been a long time since I last saw you go out of the borders of your beloved Mirkwood.^

Legolas nodded, and bowed respectfully. ^Indeed, it has been a long while, Lady Arwen.^ He was about to introduce Camille to Arwen, but the girl seemed very shocked about something.

Elrond glanced down at the now-silent young lady, and noticed that her mouth was hanging open, while her eyes had suddenly become very, very wide. He waited for the tension to break.

And break it did. In moments, a large smile had formed on Lady Camille's face, and she started running across the courtyard. "ELI!!!!!"

*      *      *

Eli felt herself freeze in mid-step when she saw the three people standing in main doorway. One of them she recognized as Elrond, and he was speaking with two people, one dark-haired, the other a blonde. They were dressed in strange green and brown clothes that didn't look like things even a Ranger would wear. They both had bows and a quiver of arrows slung over their shoulders, but the blonde had a better and bigger-looking bow, and a long knife at his waist. Also, the blonde was an Elf, but the one with dark hair wasn't.

Arwen greeted her father like she always did, and the sound of her voice made the two figures turn around. The blonde's face Eli didn't recognize, but she heard Arwen mention his name – Legolas Something-or-other, she couldn't remember. But the brown-haired person she recognized immediately. In fact, it was a face so familiar that she felt her entire body go into a state of immobility. She didn't dare to believe that that person was standing right in front of her after so many months of waiting, hoping, and sometimes, despairing. _Could it be?_

Her temporary paralysis was broken when the brown-haired person shrieked, and ran over to her, calling out her name. "ELI!!!!!"

For the first time in a VERY long time, Eli's face split into a grin so wide that it threatened to reach her ears, and she ran towards the girl coming towards her. "CAMILLE!!!!!"

They met in the middle of the courtyard, and Camille threw her arms around Eli, hugging her in a vise-like grip. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Oh God Eli, you're here, you're really here!"

Eli swallowed as she hugged her friend back, trying to control her tears. "Yeah, I'm here. God, Camille, I really missed you! I swear I did!"

Camille pulled away from her, her face attempting to put on an angry expression, but didn't do her any good, since she still hadn't mastered her happiness yet. "Elisabeth Carnahan, if you EVER dare to leave me like that again, I SWEAR I'll bury you six feet under the next time I get my hands on you!"

"And I'll hack you to bits if you pull that disappearing act on me again, Camille Selvitar," Eli threw back teasingly. She stared at her friend, then they both broke into fits of laughter. She was more than relieved to have her best friend back with her. She was happy, ecstatic, joyous…everything!

Just then, Camille gasped, and pulled herself together. "Oh jeez, I'm forgetting something!" She walked over to the blonde-haired Elf, then said, "Eli, this is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood. Legolas, this is my best friend, Elisabeth Carnahan."

Eli smiled slightly at the Prince in greeting. "Good afternoon, Your Highness."

"Ah, so you must be the Lady Eli for whose sake I and fellow Mirkwood archers looked through the entire expanse of Mirkwood for!" Prince Legolas exclaimed as he approached her and kissed her hand, though his statement wasn't meant in anger or irritation.

Eli raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so?"

Camille laughed then, and walked over to her, patting her on her shoulder. "I'll tell you everything later, okay?"

"Why not now? We can go to my rooms, and you can tell me the whole story there."

Camille was about to open her mouth to say something, but Elrond said, "You may go with her, Lady Camille. We shall have you summoned for the feast later on tonight."

Eli grinned, and nodded. ^Thank you, Lord Elrond.^ She turned to Camille, and grabbed her best friend's hand, pulling her towards her rooms. "Now come on! You've got a LOT of explaining to do!"

"Okay, okay, I get the point! Don't pull so hard, will ya?! You're going to rip my entire arm off!" 

The two of them laughed, and ran the rest of the way to Eli's bedroom.  
  


*      *      *

Eli leaned back on the headboard of her bed. "And that's the whole story."

Camille had been silent, listening the whole while to Eli's version of the story that had the same beginnings as her own. She had told her story before Eli's, and the other girl had listened intently before launching into her own tale. She flopped down onto the covers of the bed, and stared at the ceiling, while Eli looked on. For a while, she didn't say anything, then she said, "You know what I find so common between our stories?"

"Hmmm?" That was Eli's usual mode of speaking, and Camille was used to it by now.

"Number one, we were chased by Orcs. Well, in your case, it was a pack of them, but still, they're all the same: ugly and disgusting. Number two, we were both lost in a forest. Number three, we were both found by Elves. Number four, those Elves happened to be Elven princes. And Number five, we managed to land ourselves in Elven cities."

Eli nodded in agreement. "Yup, you're right." Another pause, then she asked, "Did Legolas tell you what the Council was going to be about?"

Camille shook her head. "Nope. He's as clueless as I am. King Thranduil was the only one who knew, and he didn't tell Legolas anything."

Eli muttered a soft, "Damn" before flopping down beside her friend. "That's the one question that's been going through my head since Gandalf came. Why won't anyone tell me?!?!"

_Eh? Gandalf?_ "Who's Gandalf? You didn't mention his name a while ago. Is he an Elf?"

Eli shook her head. "No, he isn't. He's a Wizard."

Camille perked up. "A Wizard?!?!?! You sure?!" _Wow, WAY cool! A Wizard…just like in Harry Potter!_

Eli must have caught on her vibes, because she said, "Yeah, he's a Wizard, but not in the Harry Potter sense."

"Oh." Her bubble burst, Camille continued to stare at the ceiling. _It feels good to have Eli back again. At least now I won't feel too homesick with her around._

Suddenly, Eli poked her in the shoulder, a strange grin twisting on her face. "Hey Camille, what d'you think of Prince Legolas?"

"Huh? Prince Legolas? Oh, he's okay," Camille replied with an offhanded shrug.

That answer got her whacked with a pillow. "I didn't mean in THAT sense, stupe. What do you THINK of him?"

Camille stared at Eli, a little confused, but she read the other girl's gaze in moments. She looked away, trying hard not to blush. "Oh, that. Well, he's very nice, gentlemanly, and pretty smart. He's a fantastic archer, and a wonderful horseman too."

"Aren't you forgetting 'handsome' and 'sexy' there in your description?" Eli smirked. "I know you, Camille. He's your type. Long blonde hair, mesmerizing blue eyes, a not-too-buff-but-fit-nonetheless bod, and a face that borders on the feminine." She grinned. "C'mon girl, spit it out!"

Camille lowered her gaze to the coverlet of the bed, and twiddled with the cloth nervously. After a moment of fighting against Eli's probing gaze, she threw her hands up in despair, and declared, "Alright, alright! I've got a crush on him! There, satisfied?!"  
  


Eli smirked again. "I've known all this time, you know. When I saw you with Legolas I knew right away that you liked him. Just had to read your body language, and then PING! I knew. I was just waiting for you to admit it to yourself."

Camille glared at her best friend. _Why the scheming manipulative witch!!!_

"He likes you too, you know," Eli murmured then.

Camille snorted. _Oh yeah, NOW she's definitely pulling my leg._ "Yeah right, Eli. He doesn't like me as any more than a friend and sister."

"Oh yeah?" Eli grinned at her. "Let's make a bet then. If he doesn't admit his feelings for you within the next few months, then you're going to have to make a nice long poem for me. Otherwise, I'll give you a drawing. Fair deal?"

Camille smiled. "You're on, kid."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in!" Eli hollered, and a group of Elf-maidens came walking in, led by Imhiriel, who was Eli's personal handmaiden in Rivendell.

Imhiriel smiled at them. "Ladies, I believe it is time for the two of you to get dressed. The feast will be starting soon, and we must make you look presentable."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Um, yeah, I know that bet Camille made with Eli seems kind of weird. Actually, that's how I deal with my own friends sometimes. Instead of betting for money, we bet for other things, like poems and drawings (as was used in the case above), or book borrowing privileges (which we do most often). And if you're wondering why Camille called Eli "kid", it's because of the fact that Camille was born a couple of months earlier than Eli. Camille was born on June 9, while Eli was born on September 21. Anyway, on with the fic! The feast's FINALLY underway, and a lot of things will happen during that time. What will Aragorn and Frodo find out on that night? One thing's for sure: it ain't gonna be pretty! See ya there, peeps! Ja ne!


	12. Chapter Eleven: A Musical Challenge...a...

Chapter Eleven: A Musical Challenge…and a Shocking Bombshell 

Frodo wandered into a large hallway with Gandalf, the sound of laughter filling his ears as he walked in.

"This is the Hall of Fire," said the Wizard. "Here you will hear many songs and tales – if you can keep awake. But except on high days it usually stands empty and quiet, and people come here who wish for peace and thought. There is always a fire here, all the year round, but there is little other light."

As Elrond entered and went towards the seat prepared for him, elvish minstrels began to make sweet music. Slowly the hall filled, and Frodo looked upon many fair faces. Two, in particular, caught his eye.

They were both girls, and very lovely ones at that. Frodo had seen them during the feast, talking with Arwen and the other Elves, and he had learned from Gandalf that they were Ladies Camille Selvitar and Elisabeth Carnahan, two of Elrond's guests-of-honor. Gandalf had known and conversed with Lady Elisabeth for much longer than any of the other guests, and he claimed that though she may seem perpetually serious, her spirit was light and cheerful. But as for the other one, Lady Camille, Gandalf said he didn't know much about her, since she was only supposed to have arrived that very same day with the group from Mirkwood.

Frodo gazed at them as they took their seats with some Elves, but in a position close to Elrond, Arwen and Strider, who had almost miraculously appeared from out of nowhere. If it were not for their ears and their eyes, he wouldn't have been able to distinguish them from the other Elves around them. For they were as fair as Elven-maids – fairer, if that was possible – and the only thing that gave away their true identity was their ears and their eyes. 

Suddenly, a dark-haired, gray-eyed Elf who had been sitting next to Lady Elisabeth stood up, and walked to the center of the hall. The Elf bowed to Elrond, then said, "Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment!"

Every single person in the hall stopped whatever it was they were doing, and looked at the Elf. He grinned, and said, "With your permission, I would like to propose a contest of singing skills between Lindir, the best minstrel in all of Rivendell, and the Lady Elisabeth Carnahan!"

That caught everyone by surprise, though it was a pleasant surprise. Frodo was just confused. _This doesn't seem right. _

Beside him, a strange figure lifted its head, and spoke. "Aha, at last, the long-awaited challenge comes. Now we shall see who is the better singer."

Frodo was struck by the familiarity of the voice. He turned to look, and was overcome with joy to see a familiar Hobbit. "Bilbo!" He embraced his uncle, who returned the gesture with a hearty laugh.

"Well met, Frodo! It is truly good to see you again!" He pulled away from Frodo then, and turned his attention to the planned contest. "Watch this, Frodo my lad. You will not see another event like this for a long time to come! It is not everyday that a mortal is called to challenge the minstrels of Rivendell."

Frodo did as his uncle told him, and looked just in time to see another Elf – apparently Lindir - get up, and stand in the middle of the circle, a harp in his hand. His long fingers touched the strings of the harp just as he opened his mouth to sing.

The beauty of the melodies and the interwoven words in Elven-tongues, though Frodo understood them little, held them in their spell. Lindir had truly earned his reputation as Rivendell's finest minstrel.

The song ended soon, and there was applause from those gathered. Frodo clapped his hands as well, and waited.

A girl rose from one side of the circle, and walked to the middle. Frodo recognized her as the Lady Elisabeth. She was clad in an Elven-dress of white that flowed over her body like moonlight over the clouds, and it made her look like a veritable Queen amongst the Elves. Her dark hair was pulled up and away from her face, and held in place by pins tipped with sparkling stones. 

She smiled slightly at those gathered. "If you will permit, I wish to sing a song in Japanese, which we speak where I am from. I will sing it again in Westron when I am through, for I am certain no one will understand its meaning."

"What is your song about then?" asked an Elf from the other side of the room.

"About a gentle breeze…and love. It is a song entitled 'Awai Kaze'; 'Faint Breeze'." With that, Frodo watched as Eli glanced at Arwen with a smile, then began to sing…

_Anata wo shitta hi kara kono mune no naka wo_

_Awai kaze, setsunage ni fuki tsuzuketeru_

_Namida ga fui ni kobore aitakunattari_

_Tsunoru yume tokimekase atsuku naru no_

_Machi no keshiki ga marude chigau kore ga koi na no?_

_Hitomi, mitsumete yasashiku tsugetai_

_Suki desu. dare yori zutto_

_Kokoro ubatta anata wo_

_Suki desu. soshite watashi no_

_Kokoro mitsukete kuretara..._

_Nemurenu yoru no naka wo hitori samayoeba_

_Awai kaze, setsunage ni kokoro yurasu_

_Kazoeru hodo monai anata no omoidetachi wo_

_Watashi, nandomo omotta..._

_Suki desu. eien sae mo_

_Tookunai hodo an ata wo_

_Suki desu. soshite watashi wo_

_Itsuka saratte kuretara..._

_Suki desu. dare yori zutto_

_Kokoro ubatt a anata wo_

_Suki desu. soshite watashi no_

_Kokoro mitsukete kuretara..._

_Suki desu._

"Because I knew from that day that you were in my heart,

Faint breeze, painfully keep blowing

Tears suddenly overflow when you aren't here

The shared dream makes my heart flutter, and I become hot

The street looks completely different--Can this be love?

Eyes, gently tell me what I'm gazing at

"I love you. From someone whose

Heart was taken by you

I love you. And now my

Heart has found this out...

"In a sleepless night, I wandered alone

Faint breeze, as my heart painfully trembled

I count my innumerable memories of you

That I, so many times, so many times, remembered...

"I love you. Even to forever

No matter how far away you are

I love you. And now I

Will one day be taken by you...

"I love you. From someone whose

Heart was taken by you

I love you. And now my

Heart has found this out...

I love you."

The song ended then. Lady Elisabeth curtsied, and turned back to her seat. For a while, all sat silent, stunned, but then, the silence was broken when a rousing applause echoed throughout the hall. She had sung with no instrument to accompany her; the plain beauty of her voice was enough. 

But then more Elven voices were to be heard, and this time, it was the Lady Camille Selvitar who was pulled to the middle. She too was dressed in a white Elven-gown, but hers had no sleeves, and a silver shawl covered her bare shoulders. Her hair was also pulled up and away from her face, but instead of sparkling stones, pearls were woven through her hair. 

Bilbo smirked. "They're really cajoling her to do this, they are. But I wonder…"

After a long while, Lady Camille was left alone on the floor. She curtsied to Lord Elrond, and said, "Since my 'friends' have requested it, I too shall sing. Like Lady Eli, I shall sing first in Japanese then in Westron. The title of my song is 'Hikari to Kage wo Dakishimeta Mama'; 'Embracing the Light and Shadow'. It is about dreams, and wishes, and wanting to protect love." She lifted her gaze to the starry skies beyond the hall, and sang…

_Mune no oku de furuete'ru_

_Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama_

_Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete_

_Hokori takaku ai wa yomigaeru_

_Yuuyake no iro ga_

_Setsunaku kirei de_

_Tozashite-ita kokoro no umi ni koboreta_

_Namida_

_Kagayaki wa nido to modoranai_

_Ashita fuku_

_Kaze no you na jiyuu ga hoshii_

_Mune no oku de furuete'ru_

_Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama_

_Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete_

_Itsuka mitsuketai_

_Hateshinaku hirogaru mirai wo_

_Tatakau mainichi_

_Surechigau Hello, Good-bye_

_Kizitsukenai you ni aruite yuketara_

_Ii no ni_

_Sora ni hourinageta kibou ga_

_Ameagari nanairo no niji wo egaite_

_Mune no oku de furuete'ru_

_Ai ga koware-sou ni naru toki mo_

_Inoru kimochi wo wasurenaide_

_Itsumo todoketai_

_Shinjite'ru  mienai mirai wo_

_Kimi ga oshiete kureta_

_Sono hakanasa mo sono tsuyosa mo_

_Mune no oku de furuete'ru_

_Kanashimi wo koete shimaitai_

_Yowai kokoro ni makenai you ni_

_Ai wo mamoritai_

_Mune no oku de furuete'ru_

_Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama_

_Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete_

_Hokori takaku ai wa_

_Yomigaeru kagayaku mirai ni_

"Embracing the light and shadow

That are trembling within my heart

Chasing the dream that I can't throw away

The proud love is resurrected.

"The colors of the sunset

Are painful and beautiful and

In the sea of my closed heart are tears

That have overflowed.

"The brilliance will never return again.

Tomorrow, I want

Freedom like the blowing wind.

"Embracing the light and shadow

That are trembling within my heart,

Chasing the dream I can't throw away,

Someday, I want to find

The eternally outspreading future.

"Everyday that we fight,

We miss each other in passing. 'Hello, Good-bye'

It would be nice if we could keep on walking

Without hurting each other.

"The wish cast into the sky

After the rain, draws a seven-color rainbow.

"When the love trembling in my heart

Becomes broken,

Without forgetting the wishful feelings,

Always, I want to deliver them.

Believing, in the future I can't see.

"You taught me

This transitoriness, this strength

"I want to pass over

The sadness trembling within my heart.

So that I don't lose to a weak heart

I want to protect love

"Embracing the light and shadow

That are trembling within my heart

Chasing the dream I can't throw away.

The proud love is resurrected

In the glittering future."

With that, she ended her song, and curtsied again. For the second time in the night, the audience was stunned, and applauded loudly and appreciatively for the singer.

Bilbo smirked. "It seems that Lindir will have some stiff competition from now on. And from a mortal, do you believe that?"

Frodo laughed at what Bilbo said, and settled down to a long chat with his uncle, telling him of the news about the Shire.

Just then, however, Lord Elrond appeared behind them, and placed a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "Bilbo, if it is alright with you, I wish to speak with your nephew for a moment."

Bilbo shrugged, and nodded. "Do as you wish, Lord Elrond." With that he returned his attention to the new minstrel who had started to sing.

Frodo stood up, and followed Elrond towards a smaller antechamber nearby. When he walked in, he noticed two other figures in the gloom. One was Gandalf, and the other was Strider. He turned around to Elrond, who was closing the door behind them at that moment. "Lord Elrond, I don't want to be rude, but why have you brought me here?"

Lord Elrond's face was grave as he took a seat beside the fire. "There is something you must know about the two girls who sang tonight: Lady Camille and Lady Eli."

Frodo blinked, trying to clear his head. "Whatever do you mean, Lord Elrond?"

Gandalf sighed, and he looked over at him, his eyes glinting beneath his bushy brow. "What Lord Elrond means is that Lady Camille and Lady Eli are not of this world."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Mwahahaha, CLIFFHANGER!!!!! AT LAST, the truth has been told!!!! What will Aragorn and Frodo do now that they know? And what does this have to do with the One Ring? Read the next chapter to find out! Oh yeah, and the songs I used here were lifted off the anime series Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP. As y'all can probably tell, I'm an anime fiend, and you'll find more anime songs as the story goes on. 


	13. Chapter Twelve: The Tale of the Summoner...

Chapter Twelve: The Tale of the Summoners and the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth 

Aragorn felt all the blood drain away from his face when he heard what Gandalf said. He gazed at the Wizard with disbelief. "Gandalf, are you certain of what you speak of?! This seems rather incredulous to me."

Frodo said nothing. He merely looked at Gandalf in a way that seemed to suggest that the old man had finally gone mad.

Gandalf chuckled, but it was not as lighthearted as it was supposed to be. "I can understand why you are so shocked. But that is the truth of the matter. Lady Eli herself has told Elrond about it, and apparently, Lady Camille has told Prince Legolas and King Thranduil of Mirkwood about her predicament. They came, but they do not know their purpose. However, Elrond and I believe that we do."

Now Aragorn was all the more confused. "I do not understand, Gandalf. You speak in riddles to us."

"Ah yes, you want a complete explanation," Gandalf said with a sigh. "Very well then, I shall take up the first part of this tale.

"Long, long ago, before Hobbits walked the lands of Middle-Earth, before Men awakened and settled here, and before the Elves first got the notion of traveling here, there existed the Four Great Spirits.

"Unfortunately, it is not known exactly WHAT these Four Spirits looked like, or what their names were. All that is known about them is that they governed the four elements – earth, fire, wind, and water – and with their powers created the land that is now known as Middle-Earth.

"Under their rule, Middle-Earth was a beautiful and flourishing Paradise, untainted yet by the Shadow or anything that was evil. However, this was not to last, for one day, the Four Great Spirits just disappeared. It is not known for what reason they left, or why they decided to leave, but they were gone. They were long gone by the time the Elves first arrived here from Eressea in the Far West."

Aragorn had listened to this strange story very carefully, paying attention to every detail. He had never thought it possible that Middle-Earth had been the work of spirits. _But it does make sense, in a way._

Elrond spoke then. "I shall now take up the second part of this tale. There is a poem that foretold of the making of the Rings of Power and the rising of Sauron. It runs thus in the Common Speech:

"Three Rings for the Elven Kings under the sky

Seven for the Dwarf Lords in their halls of stone

Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die

One for the Dark Lord on his Dark Throne

"In the land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie,

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them

One Ring to bring them all, and in the Darkness bind them,

In the land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie

"But from the Other-World they shall rise

Seeking to challenge the Dark Lord

Summoners of Spirits, they shall rise

Seeking to challenge the Dark Lord

"Bound by friendship strong and true,

Make the sky change its hue

From dark and cold to light and warm

They shall lead all through the storm.

"Fairer than any yet to be seen,

One shall become a mighty Queen,

And the other, meant for greatness,

Shall receive honor of no less

"Dragons bow at their command,

Great is the power in their hand,

As the darkness grows ever deeper,

So shall Spirits rise from slumber.

"This poem, which has been handed down amongst the Eldar for as far back as I can remember, is actually a prophecy, declaring that during a troubled time, two Summoners would come from another world known as Other-Earth, and that they would seek to challenge the Dark Lord. As the prophecy says, they shall be 'fairer than any yet to be seen', and shall be 'bound by friendship strong and true'.

"And the prophecy speaks of their great powers. 'Dragons bow at their command'; as it says, and this can only indicate persons with magical powers well beyond what can be conceived by Men or even Elves. With such powers, then they might be able to hold back Sauron's evil for a much longer time, or maybe even defeat him completely."

"So you are saying that Lady Camille and Lady Eli are the Summoners referred to in the prophecy," Aragorn muttered, to which Elrond nodded in reply. The Ranger sighed, and closed his eyes in thought. _That seems right. 'Fairer than any yet to be seen'…for girls who are supposed to come from the race of Men, they are indeed much too fair. They could pass off as Elves, and even then, they look lovelier than the other Elf-maidens. Only Arwen and Lady Galadriel can surpass them in beauty. And they are indeed from another world, or so Gandalf and Elrond say…_

"But if that is the case," Frodo said, "then what will we do with the Ring?"

Gandalf smiled kindly at the Hobbit. "We shall discuss that tomorrow, at the Council. I called you two here because I wished you to know the truth about those two girls."

  
Aragorn nodded, and stood up, knowing that this meeting was dismissed. However, his mind was still whirling from the information that he had heard. _What role will they play in the Ring's fate?_

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Uh, yeah, this was a short chapter compared to the previous ones, but the point of this was just to tell the story of the Four Great Spirits and the prophecy concerning the Summoners. In the next chapter, the Council of Elrond takes place, and there will be LOTS of surprises for Camille and Eli, especially where a certain Ring and a certain Fellowship are concerned… Oh yeah, and this time, you get to watch as our usually soft-spoken and ever-so-polite Summoners show the world their TRUE selves after they learn just WHAT the others have been talking about behind their backs evil laugh!!! Watch out Middle-Earth; an angry Camille and a mad Eli are NOT things to be trifled with…especially if they're BOTH mad AND have hangovers at the same time cackle!!!!!! Ja!


	14. Chapter Thirteen: The True Colors of the...

Chapter Thirteen: The True Colors of the Summoners 

Camille flipped over in her bed, and sighed contentedly, snuggling deeper into the covers. She had had a late night after the feast, what with all that singing and dancing and storytelling, and she didn't want to miss out on any of it. But the festivities had to be called to an end, and she and Eli reluctantly returned to their rooms to sleep.

  
And sleep they did. The wine and the merrymaking had all taken their toll on them, and the moment their heads touched the pillows, they had wandered off into Never-never Land.

But Camille's rest was not to last. She was just getting into the best part of her dream when a sudden thump sent her spinning out of her dream – and onto the floor.

"AAARRGH!!!!!" she cried as she struggled to stand up, but the sheets and blankets became tangled up in her legs, and sent her crashing back down. "WHO WAS THE MORON WHO WOKE ME UP?!?!?!?!"

Laughter echoed to her from the other side of the room. Growling with frustration at having her beauty sleep interrupted and forcing her to deal with a MAJOR hangover, she opened her eyes, and noticed Eli sitting in the chair across from her.

The other girl merely grinned at her from her seat, curled up in the chair. "Oh yeah, I forgot. You're not a morning person, are you, Camille?"

Camille was irritated beyond relief. She pulled herself up from the floor, finally managing to disentangle her limbs from the blankets and sheets now that she was no longer struggling against them and was forcing herself to think calmly. After rearranging the blankets on the bed, she whirled around to Eli, and demanded, "Why THE HELL did you have to do that?!?! You KNOW that mornings aren't my best time!"

Eli shrugged. "I know, but we've got to be present at the Council today. And if you don't get dressed soon, we're going to be late, and Elrond will have a time chewing us out about our tardiness." 

This time, Camille sighed, and slumped her shoulders forward. Though no one would notice it, she could feel that her best friend was just as irritated as she was. However, unlike herself, Eli wasn't the type to show any emotion openly. But when the pressure became too great…well then, anyone within throwing and hearing range should run for cover as quickly as possible.

She straightened up, and stretched, trying to ease out the pulsing headache that was a result of drinking too much wine last night. "Fine, fine, I'll get dressed. I'll meet you in the hallway in fifteen minutes."

Eli nodded in agreement, and stood up. "That's cool by me. Just hurry up." With that, she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

*      *      *

Eli leaned against the wall near Camille's room, waiting for her to come out. She was already dressed, clad in an ice-blue long-sleeved Elven-dress with a dark blue cloak edged with silver trim thrown over her shoulders to keep the cold away. The cloak was held in place by the only non-Elvish object she was wearing: a silver dragon brooch, with flashing sapphire eyes. It was an intricate thing, the scales and whiskers of the dragon having been carved with care and much attention to detail. In its coils it held a larger sapphire. As for her hair, Imhiriel wasn't there to do it for her, so she simply tied it up in one big braid that started at the nape of her neck all the way to the middle of her shoulder blades. The end she had tied off with a silk ribbon the same color as her cloak.

She touched the brooch delicately. It had been a present to her from her uncle on her mother's side, saying that it was a precious heirloom passed down from generation to generation. Only one in the family would be able to have it, and she was the one who had been chosen. The owner of the brooch was then called "Bai Long"; the White Dragon.

The door creaked open, and she watched as Camille stepped out. She was wearing an Elven-dress that was the same style as hers, but had the color of a ruby, with a cloak of a dark crimson color trimmed with gold. Her hair was done up in almost the same way, but the braid was a little more complicated; having been done in the French plait style. The end – which reached all the way to the small of her back - she had tied off with a ribbon of blood-red silk.

Eli grinned. "Dressed in your favorite colors, I see."

Camille shrugged. "I felt like it, for some odd reason." Her hand flew to the brooch that held her cloak together at the throat. "I feel like shocking them all at the Council today."

Eli nodded, looking at the brooch. It was gold as opposed to her silver, and wasn't carved in the likeness of a dragon, but of a phoenix, with bright red rubies for the eyes. In its claws, it held a round ruby orb. Like the dragon brooch, it was very detailed, for every single feather was cut into the gold with intimate precision. This, she knew, had been a gift to Camille from her grandmother. Whoever held it was known in their family as "Jin Feng"; the Golden Phoenix.

Just then, the sound of a single bell ringing through the house reached their ears, and Eli sighed. "Looks like the Council is about to start. We might as well get our butts over there now."

Camille sighed, and nodded. "Let's go then. I don't want to know how Elrond chews people out."

Eli chuckled. "Now THAT'S something you won't want to see."

*      *      *

Legolas took his seat amongst those gathered at the Council, looking appraisingly at those who had come. Lord Elrond was there, sitting in his chair towards his right beneath the shade of a large birch tree. Next to him were Glorfindel and Erestor, whom Legolas knew were his counselors, and Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit who was supposed to have found the One Ring, and beside him was his nephew, Frodo son of Drogo, the one who now carried with Ring with him. Beside the young Hobbit sat Gandalf the Gray, a Wizard of great renown. 

There were others there too. In one corner sat the Ranger Strider, but Legolas knew who he really was: Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Isildur's heir and the self-exiled King of Gondor. There too sat Galdor, an Elf from the Gray Havens, on an errand from Cirdan the Shipwright. There was another Man there, clad in travel-worn clothes, and with a horn on his knees. He seemed tall, and his face was noble and fair. His eyes were gray in hue, and his hair was dark, though not as dark as Aragorn's. He had said that his name was Boromir, a messenger from Gondor. There were Dwarves too, much to Legolas' dismay: Gloin, and his son Gimli.

However, he noticed that there were two seats left empty, right between Glorfindel and Elrond. _I wonder who will be seated there…_

Just then, his sensitive Elf-hearing heard the approach of velvet-clad feet, and he looked towards the doorway from the interior of the house. Elrond looked up as well, and every other Elf present turned to look.

At last, the persons who had been coming closer were revealed in the sunlight, and for a while, everyone attending the Council stared at them. Even Legolas couldn't help but let his mouth fall open slightly in surprise.

Camille and Eli had arrived, and they were quite a sight to behold. They were dressed almost alike, but not so. The former was dressed in brilliant red, her dress a shade comparable to a ruby, her cloak was colored crimson like the setting sun. At her throat was a golden brooch shaped like a bird, with ruby eyes and a ruby sphere in its talons. The latter, on the other hand, had chosen a cold blue color for her clothing, with a matching cloak for her shoulders. Her cloak was held together at the throat by a silver brooch, which, much to Legolas' surprise, was shaped in the form of a dragon with sapphire eyes and coiled around a sapphire orb.

Eli grinned at Lord Elrond. "Are we late, Lord Elrond?"

Elrond smiled slightly at the girl, and shook his head. "No, you are not. You have arrived just in time." He then looked at the other members of the Council. "For those of you who have just arrived," here he gave a pointed glance at Boromir, "this is Lady Camille Selvitar, and Lady Elisabeth Carnahan. My Ladies, I am sure you know most of those who have gathered here, but I must introduce you to this man. He is Boromir, from the South, son of the Steward of Gondor."

Camille and Eli took their time to curtsy to Boromir, and he stood up to bow to them, but the girls were looking at him with odd looks, as if of distrust. After the greetings were through, Elrond led them to the two vacant seats. The two girls sat down gracefully, their faces attentive and ready to listen to what was to be said at the Council.

Elrond then walked over to the center of the circle, tall and majestic, truly looking like the Elven-Lord he was. "And now I shall open the Council."

*      *      *

Frodo listened intently to what was had been said at the Council. He paid especially close attention to the stories of Gloin, about the temptation of Dain by one of the Ringwraiths; to Elrond's story of the Last Alliance and why the Ring was not destroyed; to Boromir's tale about how he decided to go to Rivendell; Bilbo's story on the Ring's finding; and lastly to Gandalf's escape from Saruman's fortress in Isengard.

There was a pause as Gandalf sat down again after his storytelling. Frodo had put the One Ring on a pedestal in the middle of the circle, and everyone was currently staring at it.

Suddenly, Elrond said, "However, there are still two more tales we are yet to hear." He turned to Camille and Eli. "My Ladies, I believe that now is the time that the people at the Council found out the truth."

Frodo watched as the two girls stared at each other, unsure looks on their faces. Eli turned to Elrond. "Lord Elrond, are you sure? Should everyone know about it?"

Elrond nodded gravely. "It is time for the truth to be known, My Ladies."

Once again, Eli and Camille glanced at each other, and at length, Eli sighed. She stood up, and, swathed in blue like she was, she seemed to look like a sea-nymph, radiating a cold blue light. "Okay, I'll go first. This is my version of the story." With that, she proceeded to tell the Council about how she got to Middle-Earth, and how she had found herself near the Ford of Bruinen, to be found by Elrond's sons. As she told her tale, Frodo couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for her, that she could remain so calm and collected in spite of the dangers that had befallen her. _If I were in the same situation, I would probably just stand there and let the Orcs take me away._

With a curtsy, Eli finished her tale, and went back to her seat. Now it was Camille's turn. She got up, her crimson clothes shimmering in the sunlight, and to Frodo she seemed like a fire-spirit, her form outlined by a hot red aura. Her entry into Middle-Earth began the same way as Eli's, but she had faced greater peril. Frodo winced when he heard about how the Orc had chased and stabbed her. _Where could she have summoned such strength of will,_ he wondered to himself. _Truly, she and Eli could not have come from Middle-Earth. _

When Camille had finished her tale and sat down again, it was Boromir who spoke first. He leaned forward slightly, and said, his voice full of scorn, "You two ladies spin such a remarkable tale; how can we believe that this is all truth and not some lie that you used to gain access to the circles of the Wise? For all we know, you could be spies sent by Saruman, or even the Evil One who now resides in Mordor."

Frodo felt the tension starting to rise in the air as that remark sent a wave of anger flowing through those who had known the girls. Elrond's eyes narrowed at Boromir, while the Elves beside him started to whisper amongst themselves in Elvish at the insult. The other Elf – Legolas, if Frodo remembered correctly – had a fire of hate burning in his dark blue eyes, and he had his fists clenched, as if in an attempt to stave his anger. Even the Dwarves seemed angered by what Boromir had said.

Even Bilbo was outraged. "Of all the things to say about them!" he muttered to Frodo. "If they had evil intentions, then Elrond wouldn't have let them get within ten leagues of Rivendell!"

Suddenly, Glorfindel stood up, and said to Boromir, "How dare you say such a thing about these Ladies?! They were welcomed into Imladris by Lord Elrond; he would not have done so if their hearts harbored wickedness of any sort. To say such a thing about these Ladies would be questioning Lord Elrond's judgment."

Murmurs of agreement to Glorfindel's statement rippled through the rest of the Council.

Elrond raised his hand. "Enough, Glorfindel." 

Glorfindel clenched his jaw, nodded, and sat back down again.

Frodo looked at the two Ladies, and noticed that they had not taken the insult lightly, either. For a while, it seemed that there was a light around them; blue for Eli, and red for Camille. 

At length, Eli stood up. Her voice was so cold that it could have chilled the heart of even the most hardened warrior. "Now listen here, BOROMIR," she all but spat out the name, "I don't blame you if you find our story so difficult to believe, but to say that we've got connections to Sauron or to this Saruman person, then you're wrong. We are TRULY from another world. If you wish for proof, take a look at this." With that, she started to undo the clasp that held her cloak together, and without further ado, she tossed it in Boromir's direction. She smirked as he caught it. "I bet that you won't find anything like that around here, not even if the Dwarves were to make it."

A glint of yellow flashed through the air, and Boromir was now holding two brooches instead of one. Frodo turned to Camille, and realized that she too had thrown him her clasp. Her eyes held a murderous fire in them that matched the glowing red light that emanated from her form. "Take a look at that one too, and I'd like to hear you tell us that they were made by the Dwarves."

Frodo turned back to Boromir, and watched as he lifted up the clasps. One was of gold, and was shaped like a large bird with a long tail. It had two rubies for eyes, and another, larger one clasped in its right claw. The other was of silver, and shaped like a dragon, its body twisted around a sapphire, and with eyes of the same gemstone.

Gloin the Dwarf looked at the clasps with awe. "Such incredible workmanship! Indeed, the Dwarves are yet to make such fine pieces of jewelry!" He frowned. "But why a dragon? I do not understand why anyone would want to fashion such a beast into a brooch – or any ornament, for that matter."

Eli smirked. "I don't know in this world, but in our world, particularly in my family, the dragon is a symbol of power and prestige. Long ago, my ancestors were known as the Dragon Clan, and were famous for teaching a sword fighting style that very few in our world and no one in this world know about. That clasp is an ancient heirloom that has been handed down in my family for as long as I can care to remember, and is given to the member of the clan who becomes the master of the sword style we used to teach. Whoever holds it becomes known as 'Bai Long'; the White Dragon."

"It's almost the same story for me," Camille said. "I am the last direct descendant of the Clan of the Phoenix, who were once renowned for not just their sword skills, but also for their skills of healing. The phoenix is the symbol of wisdom and eternal life, just as the dragon symbolizes strength and honor. That brooch you hold is passed on to whoever masters the sword style of our family, and the person who holds it is then known as 'Jin Feng'; the Golden Phoenix."

The Council gazed with amazement at the two girls, and to Frodo, they seemed to have grown suddenly in stature, to become almost queenly in appearance and might. Boromir, in the meantime, seemed to have shrunk somewhat as he handed the brooches back to their respective owners. The girls snatched their heirlooms back, fixed it back to their cloaks, and sat down again beside Elrond. The light around them died down a little, but it still remained.

Elrond cleared his throat, and this time, he looked graver than ever. "Now that the Ladies have told you their tales, I wish to tell them something, a tale upon which, perhaps, hangs the fate of Middle-Earth." With that, he began to tell the Council the tale of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth and the Prophecy of the Summoners, just as Aragorn and Frodo himself had heard it the night before. Once again, all the Council was stunned to hear this, and even the two girls concerned stared at Elrond in shock.

But they had other emotions aside from mere surprise. Elrond had barely finished the tale, when Camille jumped to her feet, the red aura around her body suddenly flaring so brightly that Frodo was certain the other Council members could see it by now. Her eyes now blazed with an angry fire, as if one look from them would burn the unfortunate recipient of her gaze. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?!?!?! Why did you keep all of this a secret from us?!"

Frodo winced at the loudness of Camille's voice, and he thought he saw Elrond quail slightly before her, but he doubted it. 

Elrond spoke again. "My Lady Camille, we did not wish to tell you about this to soon because of its implications. I deemed it best for you to know during this Council, when we would be able to decide the fate of the One Ring."

Eli got up slowly, the blue light around her now as bright as Camille's. "Then you didn't think very well, Elrond." Her voice was so icy it was as though every word she spoke would drop from her lips and shatter on the floor like icicles fallen from a tree in winter. Her eyes were also amazingly cold in their anger, so much so that Frodo was afraid to look at her, for fear that she would turn him into a statue of ice. "You didn't take time to consider the fact that WE might have been confused about being here, and that WE might have liked some answers."

"We didn't ask to be sent here, you know," Camille muttered. "It's not like we were handed a frigging job description that told us we'd be the saviors of Middle-Earth. If you had told us, it might have helped us think of a plan that would help us find our way home, but NOOOO, you had to hold back all this information!!!!" She glared at Elrond. "The next time you get the idea that we need someone else to make decisions for us, do us a favor and keep your 'decisions' to yourself!"

"Or even better," Eli added, "try to actually put your brain to good use and help us find a way out of this damn world before Sauron gets his grubby hands on his idiotic little toy and blows us all up!!!! We don't have plans on staying here to watch Armageddon come and fall on our heads. We're not THAT stupid." 

The entire Council fell silent. No one was able to react to what the two Ladies had said. After all, it is rare to see a woman in such a state of wrath, and to have these two so angry was something they had not intended to see…or even WANT to see.

It was Gandalf who made the first move. He stood up, and walked over to the two girls, who were still seething with their anger. "Come now, enough of this. We must cooperate, My Ladies. Anger will not get anything done."

The two girls glared at Gandalf, but surprisingly, they relaxed, and sat down again. Camille was the first to speak. "You're right, Gandalf. I'm sorry Elrond, if I got a little carried away."

Eli nodded as well, but said nothing. She seemed too busy looking at the Ring. 

Elrond sighed, and smiled slightly at the two. "If there is anyone who needs to be forgiven, it is I. It was wrong of me to withhold such information from you, and I will make it up to you the best way I know how."

Elrond turned, this time to address the Council. "As these tales have shown us, there is only one way by which we can be rid of Sauron's evil forever, and that is to send the Ring to the fires of Mount Doom."

*      *      *

Elrond paused a moment as the Council muttered amongst themselves. He took this time to recover from the shock the two Ladies had given him. Never before had he faced such fury, and to see it in the eyes and faces of two young girls not yet into womanhood made it all the more stunning. _It is unbelievable how such seemingly delicate and peaceful countenances can hold anger so dreadful and frightening. _He had to admit, even HE was afraid of their anger for a while. 

_Like fire and ice, they are…_he mused as he glanced at them. "Fire" would have been Camille. He could well remember the flame that burned in her eyes as she glared at him, and it was a fire that could easily compete with the inferno of Orodruin. "Ice" would have been Eli. The words she spoke, so cold and hard, were now permanently etched in his memory, more for the way they were spoken than what the words were exactly. 

He only returned to reality when he heard rising voices around him. He turned back to the Council, and noticed that an argument had arisen over who would take the Ring to Mordor. As of then, the quarrel was between Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir. He pulled himself to his full height, and was about to attempt to put a stop to the fight, but then he heard a small voice say, "I will take it!"

Elrond turned to the source of the voice, and smiled a little bitterly when he saw Frodo get up from his seat. He didn't say another word as the Hobbit raised his voice so as to be heard over the din, "I will take it!"

The disagreeing parties ceased their bickering, and turned in wonderment to Frodo. Frodo swallowed, and said, in a much softer voice, "I will take it to Mordor…though I don't know the way…"

At this, Gandalf smiled. He got up from his seat, and stood beside the young Hobbit. "Then I shall guide you there, my dear Frodo."

Next, Aragorn stood up from his seat in the corner, and knelt down before Frodo. "You shall have my sword, Frodo. I swore to protect you, by life or death, and I shall do my best to fulfill that promise."

Then Legolas stood up. "And you have my bow."

Much to Elrond's surprise, Gimli got up. "You shall have my axe, brave Hobbit."

And finally, Boromir reluctantly got up from his seat. "Forgive me for my rudeness to you earlier, sirs, but I will represent Gondor on this quest, and by my honor, I shall see that it is fulfilled!"

"Wait just a moment."

Elrond turned, and looked at the two Ladies. It was Eli who had spoken to him, so he asked, "Yes, My Ladies?"

Eli's words were slow and deliberate. "If you don't mind, Lord Elrond, we would like to find out just how great an evil the Ring holds."

"What do you intend to do?" Gimli asked, his voice tinged with insolence. "Would you wear it to find out just how much power lies therein?"

Camille stood up, shaking her head slowly as she approached the pedestal on which the Ring lay. "No. But there are other ways." She looked at the Council. "I'd like all of you to move back and give me some room. There's no telling what might happen while I try to gauge the Ring's power."

Elrond sensed the troubled minds of the Council, but he nodded in response to the Lady's request. He drew back, and the rest of the Council followed his actions, some a little more reluctantly than others.

When there was enough space, Camille sighed, and looked at Eli. "Eli, you'll support me?"

"Yeah, I will," replied the other Lady as she too got up.

With a sigh, Camille looked at the Ring. "Okay, here goes nothing." So saying, she held one hand over the Ring, and closed her eyes, concentrating.

Elrond looked on at the strange sight before him. _What does the Lady intend to do?_ As he watched, however, he began to notice something. A red glow seemed to emanate from Camille's body, and that light flowed through her fingers and down into the Ring. A strange wind picked up, and swirled around her, throwing her cloak back and making the hem of her dress flutter in strange directions.

Her brow furrowed, and, to Elrond's surprise, the Ring started to slowly lift up from the pedestal, surrounded in a globe of red light. It spun slowly within the globe, and the markings that were written on it began to appear.

However, this seemed to be a massive effort for the girl, because she cried, "ELI!!! Help me!!!"

In moments, Eli was by her side, her hands held out around the red globe as a blue light issued forth from her body and mingled with the red. The Ring spun even faster in the globe now, the combined forces of red and blue-colored energy making it twirl and the markings glow ever brighter.

Elrond gazed worriedly at the two young girls. They had their eyes closed in immense concentration, their lips were set in grim lines, and their brows were knit together in an attempt to focus their force on the Ring. Within the globe, a swirl of dark energy seemed to emanate from the Ring, and apparently, it was this force that they were trying to contain.

But the evil of the Ring was too great for them. There was a loud CRACK, as that of thunder, and the girls were hurled back from their positions, almost striking the wall had not Aragorn and Boromir been there to prevent it. The Ring dropped back to the pedestal, the Elvish writing glowing before slowly winking out, even as it emitted a small stream of smoke.

Elrond approached the girls, who were now sitting on the ground, groaning and rubbing their heads. Kneeling down beside them, he asked, "Are you hurt?"

*      *      *

Camille groaned, and rubbed her head with her hand. "Oh, that hurt like HELL…" Her energy was almost completely drained now, thanks to her attempt at trying to contain the evil within the One Ring of Power. _Boy, Elrond wasn't kidding about evil that thing is! Makes me wonder how Frodo and Bilbo managed to survive having it around them all the time…_

Somewhere in the world outside her muddled mind, she heard Elrond ask them, "Are you hurt?"

Camille blinked, trying to clear her vision of the tiny black sparks that clouded it, and got up, grabbing Boromir's arm for support. "No, not really…" She glanced over at Eli, and noticed that she was in a no better state, leaning heavily on Aragorn as she staggered to a standing position. "But I think we know EXACTLY what we're going to have to deal with here."

"Evil in its purest form," Eli whispered, swallowing breath after breath. "An evil so strong that nothing in this world or in ours can match it. Not even a single spark of good in all that wickedness…"

"What WAS that?" Frodo asked them, his large Hobbit eyes wide in amazement and concern. "What did you just do?"

Camille smiled wearily at Frodo. "We don't have a name for that technique, but Eli and I have always been able to do it. And it was because of our so-called powers that we were shunned and avoided in our world. Everyone thought we were too weird."

Elrond spoke again. "Now that you know what Frodo has to deal with, I have a request for you both." He paused, and then said, "I wish that you join him and his companions on their quest to destroy the Ring."

Eli raised an eyebrow lazily. "Join them? Why? Look, when there's something THAT evil involved, I don't want to get tangled up in its affairs."

Camille grinned at Eli. "Eli, let's look at this logically, okay? They're going to be going out of Rivendell for Mordor, right?"

"Right." 

"Elrond said that there are Spirits somewhere out there that need to be awakened, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"And there's this prophecy that says two girls from another world will awaken them."

"So my memory tells me."

"We're from another world, of course."

"Duh."

Camille grinned. "Thus, the best option for the both of us is to go with Frodo on his trip, find the Spirits, wake them up, help Frodo out, and THEN go back home! If these Spirits are as powerful as Elrond says they are, then we can always have them rip a dimensional portal for us so we can go back home."

Eli scowled. "How sure are you that it'll work?"

"I'm not really sure, but hey, that's part of the adventure of the whole affair, right?!"

"Yeah right. The last time I followed your advice, I ended up in the middle of nowhere with a dozen Orcs on my tail."

"Okay, so maybe I was wrong about the shortcut through the woods, but even then, this is FATE! Even if we DIDN'T go down the path, we STILL would've ended up here! And besides, it's better that we were taken while walking rather than while we were taking dinner with the 'rents or in the middle of class! We're weird enough as it is without having to complicate things further with what they'd call an alien abduction!"

"What do I care if people think I'm weird? I don't give a damn about what other people say, and you know it. And as for Fate…I don't believe in it either. Whatever our lives are is what we make them to be, NOT the makings of some omnipotent being."

Camille's temper suddenly flickered into action. "Then you might as well make the best of the current situation and come along! We're here, and there's nothing we can do about it! We've GOT to find those Spirits, Eli! They're our only ticket out of here!!"

That did it. Eli clamped her mouth shut, and stared at the people who had gathered around Frodo for the trip. After a long moment, she turned to Elrond, and muttered, "Fine, I'll go with them."

"And I'll go too!" Camille declared, happy that she had managed to get Eli to go with them. _Truth be told, I would've gone with Frodo even if Eli didn't want to come, but I'd miss her too much._

Elrond looked at them, and a small smile appeared on his face. "Very well then. We only lack one more to complete the Nine…"

Suddenly, from behind the pillars, the three other Hobbits – Sam, Merry, and Pippin, if Camille remembered right – jumped out, and stood beside Frodo. 

"We'll come with Frodo, if Lord Elrond will allow," Merry said, and though he appeared brave and strong, Camille could detect a faint hint of fear in his voice.

"That's right! There is no way I will be leaving my cousin to go about this alone!" Pippin declared.

Sam was quieter than his companions, and yet he said, "I made a promise to accompany Master Frodo wherever he may go, and I will keep my word."

Camille looked at Elrond, and noticed that he seemed a little startled at these sudden turn of events, but he shook his head, then said, "I had only asked for Nine, but since you three Hobbits seem insistent on going, then you may. You eleven shall be known as the Fellowship of the Ring."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! I HAVE DONE IT!!!!! I HAVE ACTUALLY MANAGED TO MAKE ELROND FEEL AFRAID!!!! AND OF GIRLS, FOR THAT FACT!!! MWAAHAHAHAHAH!!! Um, that was wrong, right cringes? For all you Elrond and Boromir fans, I'm SO MUCHO SORRY if I made them look bad in this chapter. The girls really DID have a reason for getting mad at Elrond (we ALL want to scream at our parents like this sometimes and for the same reasons, right?), and as for Boromir…I just wanted to make him look bad. But Boromir fans, I PROMISE, in the upcoming chapters, your hero will NOT be insulted anymore! In fact, I think you're going to like what I'm going to do for him grins. Ooh, fluffy, fluffy ^_~… Just stay tuned and keep on reading! Au revoir!! 


	15. Chapter Fourteen: For Love...

Chapter Fourteen: For Love… 

Eli walked down the hallways of Rivendell, pulling her cloak more tightly around her. The chilly wind of winter blew through the open windows, still carrying with it the scent of summer flowers, even though summer was long past.

It had been two months since they had attended the Council, and Eli made the best of that time to prepare. She had been going back and forth between the library, Camille, and the Elven-smiths of Rivendell, working on a certain "project" of hers. And today, would be the day all her walking back and forth would pay off.

The moment she had entered the smithy, one of the Elves working there immediately passed to her a few packages wrapped in thick black cloth tied closed with silver-colored string. ^Here are the blades you have requested, Lady Eli.^

Eli smiled kindly at the Elf as she accepted the packages. ^It is you I should be thanking, Ithirihor. Without your help none of these would have been made. I do not know how to repay you.^

Ithirihor smiled, and shook his head. ^The knowledge you and Lady Camille have imparted to us in the making of these blades is more precious than anything we could ever receive in payment. Henceforth all Elven blades will be wrought in the manner you have taught us.^

Eli smiled, and curtsied. She turned on her heel, and left the smithy, only to almost run into Aragorn in the hallway. The only thing that prevented her from knocking into him was that she managed to jump slightly to the left.

^Ah, so this is where you have been, Lady Eli,^ Aragorn said with a smile as he bowed politely to her. ^Elladan has been wondering where you had gone. I thought you had decided to go out riding by yourself.^

Eli cocked her eyebrow slightly upwards in surprise. ^Elladan? What would he want with me?^

^I do not know, My Lady, but he seemed quite anxious to see you again.^ A quirk of a teasing grin played at the corners of Aragorn's lips. ^Perhaps he wishes to bid you a lover's farewell before we leave tomorrow?^

Eli narrowed her eyes at him, and jabbed him hard in the ribs. Slipping into Westron, she whispered, "Say that one more time, and I will personally see to it that by the time we leave tomorrow, all of the people of Middle-Earth will know of your relationship with Arwen."

The Ranger's eyes widened slightly, but Eli didn't have time to listen to whatever it was he had to say. She spun around, and headed towards Camille's rooms. As she walked, she thought about what Aragorn had relayed to her. _To go or not to go…that is the question…_

She reached Camille's room even before she had an answer to that. She tapped the door with her foot. "Hey Camille, open up! I've got a surprise for you!"

*      *      *

The moment Camille heard Eli's voice from the other side of the door, she walked over to it, and opened it wide. There stood Eli, a large black parcel tied with silver cording in her arms. Camille's eyebrows shot up in surprise. _Wha…_

Eli swept past her into her room, dumping the entire lot on her bed. She grinned at her with a strange smile. "Look what I had the Elven-smiths make for us." So saying, she proceeded to unwrap the bundle, and in time, revealed a most marvelous sight.

_Oh my God…_ Camille slowly approached the bed, her eyes wide. There, amidst the black cloth, glittered several swords. She picked one up, and pulled it out of the sheath. In shape and length it resembled a classic katana, but there were other details that were most certainly NOT a part of it. The hand guard of the sword had an Elvish pattern of whorls and spirals carved into it, and the handle itself was not cushioned with the usual woven reeds, but with some sort of silver rope. And as for the sheath, she noticed that a silver dragon had been inlaid into the wood.

Eli smiled with pride, and gently pried it out of her hand. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" As she spoke, she swept the sword in a slow circle around her, and the air sang as the metal cut through it. 

Camille nodded. "Definitely." She turned her attention back to the other swords, and this time, her mouth fell open. She squealed with delight, and pounced on two sheaths. They were shorter than Eli's katana by a few inches, but the shape was the same, as were the hand guards and the handles. As for the scabbards, each had been inlaid with a golden phoenix.

Camille sighed as she drew the blades out of their scabbards, holding one in the left hand, the other in her right. Like Eli's, the air sang as she thrust them out. _Kodachi…it's been a while since I last handled these…_

"It's going to be good to handle weapons again," Eli said as she picked up the remaining blades. Camille had already seen what they were: a set of kunai so beautifully wrought that it almost seemed a waste to use them as mere throwing weapons. They were placed in a long leather strip, which Eli wrapped around her waist and hid beneath her outer robes.

"That's true," Camille answered as she placed the kodachi back in their scabbards, and set them aside. She grinned wickedly. "I can't wait to see how the others will react when they see us carrying these around. As far as Legolas is concerned, he knows that the only weapon I know how to use is a bow and arrow."

Eli snickered with her, anticipating the surprise they would pop at the others the following day at their departure. However, a sudden thought entered her mind, and she said, "Look Camille, I've got to go somewhere else for a minute. I can leave these things here with you until tomorrow, right?"

Camille nodded, but was mildly surprised at her friend's sudden request. _What's with her?_ As Eli left the room, she got up, intending to follow her, but Merry and Pippin, who suddenly wanted to talk with her about their journey tomorrow, waylaid her. With a sigh, she had to abandon her original plan, realizing that she really didn't have any say in it anyway.

*      *      *

Eli clambered over a small boulder that was in her way as she meandered through the many paths in Elrond's gardens, looking for someone. ^Elladan…Elladan…^ _Oh crap, where could that idiotic Elf be?!?! He tells Aragorn that he wants to talk to me, THEN when I decide that I actually want to do that, HE has to disappear on me! _

^I am here, Eli.^

Eli jumped, startled. She whirled around, and noticed Elladan leaning against a nearby tree trunk, gazing at her with a knowing smile as if he had been there all that time, watching her. _For all I know, he could have been there all along and I wouldn't have noticed._ She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. ^How long have you been watching me?^

He smiled at her obvious irritation. ^For quite some time now. Though I doubt if that is important.^ He approached her, walking with all the easy grace only an Elf could have. ^So Aragorn has delivered my message. I looked all throughout the house, and I could not find you. I even went so far as to ask Lady Camille, and even she had no answers. Where were you?^

Eli smiled slightly. "That's for me to know, and for you NOT to know until I want to tell you."

Elladan laughed. "Why must you keep so many secrets from me, Lady Eli? No Elf here knows yet what you are truly like. It seems like only Lady Camille knows your true self."

Eli sighed, and turned away from him. "There are reasons, Elladan, why I act the way I do. Camille and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember." She grinned. "Have I ever told you that we're actually distantly-related cousins?"

The Elf's eyes widened in surprise. "No, I believe you have not."

"Well, it's true. We're related on my mother's side, or her father's side, in her case. We're cousins in the fourth degree, or fifth, I think. But since that's too much blood in between the two of us, I don't really look at her as my cousin, but as my friend. My best friend."

Elladan walked up to her slowly, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Why do you sound so sad?"

Eli didn't answer him. She bowed her head, to avoid looking at him in the eye. _This is crazy,_ she told herself. _Why are you acting like this around him?_

A gentle touch alighted upon her chin, and instinctively she attempted to swat it away, but Elladan stilled her movements, reassuring her with his whispers, his tongue weaving a spell for her in Quenya, ^Hush, fair one. I will do you no harm.^

She shook her head. ^Elladan, what are you trying to do?^

^I only wish to express what has lain in my heart these past few months,^ he told her. He attempted to pull her into his arms, but Eli had read his move already. She stepped away from him, her eyes pointed determinedly on the ground below her feet. She kept walking backwards, only to be stopped by the trunk of a birch tree. _Damn it, caught!_

A teasing smile slid onto Elladan's face. ^You have cornered yourself, Eli.^

She glared back at him. ^Don't take chances, Elladan. You do not want to try my fighting skills, not now, of all times. I may not have a weapon, but I can assure you that my body will be enough of a weapon.^

He leaned closer to her, and, for the second time that day, Eli felt herself succumbing to the spell of his voice, the look in his eyes, his touch... He caressed her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. ^Hush, I do not wish to hurt you.^

Eli closed her eyes, trying to find herself again in the midst of the roaring storm of emotions that spun through her. _This doesn't seem too unpleasant,_ she told herself. _You're just scared, Eli,_ she chided herself. _Scared that you'll end up with a broken heart. This couldn't be so bad…learning to love Elladan…God only knows how much I've wanted to be loved by someone aside from the usual "buddy-buddy" relationship… _Elladan had always been kind to her, more so, she realized then, than any friend had been. He had been there whenever she needed someone to scream her thoughts at, whenever she wanted to go out to the woods and Arwen wasn't available, whenever she just wanted to sit quietly and have someone with her. And the past two months since the Council had only brought the two of them even closer together.

She drifted back to reality only when Elladan kissed her on her mouth. It was a gentle, seeking kiss; not rough, as Eli had always feared. His scent overwhelmed her, his touch made her senses whirl…her mind told her that this was right.

_But then again, _she thought as she hesitantly returned the Elf's kiss with one of her own, _why does my heart tell me this is wrong?_

*      *      *

Elrohir watched his brother tug Eli away from the trunk of the birch tree, letting her lean against him, drawing her into an intimate embrace. Elladan's hands got tangled up in the Lady's hair, while Eli gripped his forearms tightly to prevent herself from slipping to the ground. Their lips were still locked together, and he began to wonder when those two would come up for air.

He shook his head at his rather snide thought. This had to be one of his greatest masterpieces: getting the cold Lady Elisabeth Carnahan and his brother together. The kiss he was witnessing was the culmination of all his efforts.

_But why does my heart feel so heavy at seeing this?_ To get the two of them together meant having to spend time with Eli, often in the guise of his brother, and have her trust him as much as she trusted Lady Camille. In time, it had happened, and he knew the seemingly ice-hearted maiden as well as Lady Camille did. He knew that her cold demeanor was only a shield against pain, that she kept it up because she was too afraid of getting hurt. And he had tried his best to ease her out of her shield, little by little melting the many walls that surrounded her heart.

He knew her as no other Elf did, more so than his brother. _Maybe that is why it hurts me so,_ he told himself. He chuckled, and walked off towards Arwen's chambers, eager to tell her this latest development. _This would be quite a surprise for her._

*      *      *

Elrond frowned as he looked down into the birch grove, watching the scene that unfolded before him. His son, Elladan, had just professed his feelings to Eli, and apparently, the maiden had felt the same way about him too. They ended up in each other's arms, kissing in that sweet and tender manner that only Elves knew how to do. He should have been happy with this, but he knew that he could not.

He turned away from the grove, and looked instead at the interior of his study, at the piles and piles of books that lay open on the desk. He had been trying to do research on the Legend of the Summoners, trying to find out as much information as he could about them. But his mind could not focus on the Legend anymore. He was much too concerned with losing one of his sons.

_Why did it have to be so, _he demanded of himself as he clenched his fists. _Am I doomed to lose two of my children to mere mortals?!_ He knew long ago that he had lost his darling Arwen to Aragorn, but to know that Elladan was lost to Eli was just too much. 

_And not only is she a mortal, she is from another world, as well!_ He had heard of their determination to return to their original world once the Ring was destroyed, and the sound of Eli's voice showed that there was no turning back for her. Would she love his son, and then return to her original world, leaving Elladan to die of a broken heart? Or would she remain, and force Elladan to give up his immortality, just as Arwen had? Either way, the choices were NOT to Elrond's liking.

Or did he really have a say in all of this? _In spite of the fact that I am their father, it is not my place to dictate whom my children love, and to whom they surrender themselves. _He was, after all, the product of the love of an immortal Elf and a mortal; that was why he was known as the Half-Elven. 

He sighed wearily, and sat down in his chair. _There is nothing I can do now. _

*      *      *

Camille sighed as she stared down at Elladan and Eli, watching as the two parted from their kiss. "Lucky girl. She goes to another world and manages to snag herself a lover."

Merry and Pippin simply sniggered as they watched. Frodo and Sam, on the other hand, had politely turned away. "Why do you sound so wistful when you say that, Camille?" Sam asked slowly. "Is it so hard to find a lover where you are from?"

Camille shrugged as she turned away, sitting down on the grass in front of the Hobbits. "I think it depends. If you're beautiful and have a nice personality, I suppose that finding a lover shouldn't be hard. But I'm not pretty, and I'm much too hot-tempered."

"You're pretty enough!" Merry exclaimed suddenly. "I've been trying to compare you with the other Elf-maidens, and none of them are as beautiful as you are…well, except for Lady Arwen, of course."

"And as for saying that you're hot-tempered… If your attitude during the Council is any indication, then yes, I suppose you're hot-tempered – terribly so, I might add – but you're not like that ALL the time, are you?" Pippin asked.

Camille laughed, and gazed at the Hobbits. _They're just too plain nice. I wish that they didn't have to come with us for this trip, Frodo most especially. _"Maybe not, but if someone pushes the right buttons, then I can blow up worse than a volcano."

"Is that what Boromir and Lord Elrond did, then? Push the right buttons, as you said?" Frodo asked.

Camille nodded. "Yup, that's exactly what they did."

"I don't blame you for blowing up, though. If I were in your place I would have been upset, especially by what Boromir said," Pippin declared.

"Oh yeah, that REALLY got to me," Camille said with a nod. "It was just so insulting, the way he looked at Eli and me. It wouldn't have hurt if it was disbelief, but he was looking at us with flat-out scorn. His opinion of women is too low. In our world men and women are considered equal, you see, so I'm used to having a man look at me as his equal. But what Boromir did was just plain rude. I've never allowed anyone to put me down, and I'm not about to start anytime soon."

By now the Hobbits were looking at her with admiration. Frodo spoke then, his voice soft. "I'm glad that you decided to come with us, Camille. Your courage comforts me in many ways."

Camille smiled gently at Frodo. "You're welcome, Frodo."

Just then, there was a slight rustling above them, and the four Hobbits and one human looked up to see a familiar figure with long blonde hair and dark blue eyes gazing down at them. Camille rolled her eyes. "How long have you been up there, Legolas?"

*      *      *

Legolas smiled down at the lady and the Hobbits below him, but his attention was mostly focused on the girl sitting down on the ground with her back to the trunk. "For quite some time now," he answered as he began to climb down from the tree to land in their midst. He turned to the Hobbits. "Forgive me for listening in to your conversation."

Frodo grinned back at him. "Don't worry Legolas, you didn't hear anything that should have been kept a secret."

"But I bet that he DID see something that shouldn't have been seen," Camille teased. 

Legolas chuckled. He knew very well what the Lady was referring to: the kiss of Elladan and Lady Eli down in the birch grove. He turned to Camille, his blue eyes twinkling. "Perhaps the Lady is jealous?"

Merry and Pippin dissolved into a fit of giggles, Frodo smiled knowingly – he HAD known of Legolas' feelings for the girl since the Council - Sam turned away to hide a quickly reddening face, and Camille just looked up at him with a stunned expression and a soft blush over her cheeks. 

The Prince smiled down at the mortal girl, catching her hand and gently pulling her to her feet. "Come now, Camille, there is no need to lie." He attempted to draw her closer to him, speaking to her in Sindarin, ^Come, and be my love, fair one…^

Those words only seemed to make Camille all the more frightened. She broke away from his grasp, turned on her heel, and ran, ran towards the Bruinen.

Forgetting all about the Hobbits now, Legolas ran after her, his Elvish reflexes allowing him to catch up to her in no time. He found her standing on the viewing deck that overlooked the Bruinen, her back turned to him, her long rope of braided hair waving slowly in the wind that the falling water had stirred.

He approached her slowly, but made his steps heavy and detectable for any mortal to hear him. "Why do you fear me so?"

She did not turn to face him. "I'm not afraid of you, Legolas. I'm afraid of something else."

Legolas quickly realized what she meant. He held his arms out imploringly to her. "You fear my touch, do you not? For why else would you cringe from me if not to avoid it?"

She did not reply.

He sighed, and walked closer to her, his chest almost touching her back, but that was as far as he allowed himself to go. He felt the warmth radiating from her person and it was almost his undoing. He desired nothing more than to sweep her into his arms, knowing almost certainly that her form would fit neatly against his own as surely as a key fits the lock it was made for. He desired to loose her hair from its confining braid, to tangle his fingers within the silken strands just as he had seen Elladan do with Eli. He desired to kiss her, to caress her rose-petal lips with his mouth and see if they tasted as sweet they did in his dreams…

"It's not just your touch, Legolas," Camille said quietly.

"Then what else do you fear, Camille?" He gazed at the back of her head, trying to see the expression of her beautiful face. _Would it be pained or worried? Would it have the same expression as it did when I first attempted to kiss her? _

He closed his eyes, knowing that the time for confession had come. In a gentle whisper, using his native tongue, he said, ^I love you, Eriol. I love you, more so than you could ever imagine. My heart has longed for you since I saw you many moons ago, and that longing has only grown through time. I have desired to tell you this, but I bided my time, waiting for the appropriate moment to tell you.^

She turned to him then, her dark brown eyes carrying a sorrowful light within them. She shook her head, and seemed on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry Legolas, but…I…I cannot love you back."

"Why, then?!" Legolas croaked, his voice suddenly hoarse as his throat constricted from her refusal of his love. "Do you have someone else, another lover who awaits you in your realm? Tell me so now, that I may cease this hopeless love and remain your friend, if that is what you wish."

"I do not have a lover," she told him, her voice still quiet but carrying a slight tremble to it. "But even so, I just want us to be friends. I want to love you, but I cannot. There is a difference between 'cannot' and 'do not'." She pulled away from the railing, and started walking away from him. "Please understand, Legolas Greenleaf. Please understand."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Awww…sniff, sniff… Looks like our poor Elf will have to settle for a slightly broken heart for now! This is, by far, the mushiest and sappiest chapter I have yet written for this fic. For those of you out there who do not really appreciate sap and mush…so sorry! I just figured that I HAD to let this fic live up to its Romance reputation, y'know? As for you Legolas fans…please don't be mad at me for breaking his heart! I'm a fan of his myself (even before I saw the movie), and I just thought that it would be best if he didn't have his way for now. But eventually, he will. TRUST ME. Be patient, my friends!


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Christmas on the Road

Chapter Fifteen: Christmas on the Road 

Aragorn sat on the doorstep of the great hall, his head bowed to his knees. He was thinking about many things, one person in particular. _Arwen…_

They had bid each other farewell earlier that day, while they still had time to say it. He spent most of his day in her company, making promises that neither of them knew he would be able to fulfill. But knowing that they might not be fulfilled only strengthened Aragorn's resolve to keep them. _I do not want to prove our suspicions right…_

The others were beginning to get restless. Sam stood beside Bill the pony, muttering something about rope; Bilbo and Frodo stood next to each other, the latter looking towards the deepening dusk with a hint of fear in his eyes; Merry and Pippin still managed to hold a rather cheerful-sounding conversation together; Boromir was toying with his sword-hilt; Gimli was looking closely at his axe blade; while Legolas simply looked apprehensive. They were all waiting for Gandalf, Camille and Eli to appear after Elrond had taken them into a nearby room to talk to them personally.

The sound of a creaking door caught his ears, and Aragorn looked up, watching as first Elrond, then Gandalf, and finally the Ladies walked out, expressions unreadable. As they stepped out, Aragorn noted a sheath sticking out of Gandalf's robes. It was the blade Glamdring; forged by the Elven-smiths of old, mate of Orcrist that lay now upon the breast of Thorin under the Lonely Mountain.

However, he was surprised to find out that the Ladies were armed as well. He knew that Camille could use a bow fairly well, but he hadn't expected that she could fight with a sword. A slightly curved scabbard hung at her waist, the wood graced with the gold device of a phoenix. Eli also carried a blade; it was of the same shape as Camille's, but was longer, and the device on the scabbard was a silver dragon.

The Ladies were also clad differently now. Camille was dressed like a Mirkwood archer, her clothes almost similar to Legolas', but her hair was done in a single braid down her back. Eli, on the other hand, was dressed like a Ranger. _Like myself, _Aragorn thought, amused. 

He gazed on as Eli bid a fond farewell to Lord Elrond and his sons. She smiled at Elrond. ^You have my eternal gratitude for helping me so much, Lord Elrond. I join this quest now as a way of returning the favor you have done for me.^

^And to think that you were rather reluctant to go initially,^ Elrond said with a smile of his own. ^Take care of yourself, child. You and Camille are as daughters to me now, and like any father, I fear sending you off into a world where you may meet cruelty and suffering. May the stars shine upon your road and bring light to every path you tread.^

Eli nodded, and bowed in gratitude. She turned then to Elrohir and Elladan. ^I will miss you two.^ 

Elladan sighed heavily as he drew the girl into his embrace. ^Take care of yourself, as Father said. It would be a fatal blow to my heart if you were to die on this quest.^

Eli grinned slightly, and stood on the tips of her toes, brushing a fond kiss on Elladan's cheek. ^I will take care of myself, I promise.^

^You should, or else I fear that my brother will go mad with grief!^ Elrohir said jokingly, though his tone was not so hearty. 

Eli nodded, and also gave him a peck on the cheek that made the Elf blush hotly. ^I will, I will. I would not have joined this quest if I did not feel I could handle the dangers that accompany it.^ With that, she pulled away from the two, and walked over to where Gandalf was standing.

Aragorn moved towards the Company, knowing that this was it. After the final farewells had been said, the Fellowship of the Ring moved out of Rivendell, taking the paths that led up and out of the valley where it lay, going on a mission that most likely meant their deaths.

*      *      *

Camille looked back at her companions from where she walked beside Gandalf, feeling more than a little worried. They had managed to get up and out of Rivendell, and were currently crossing a rather gusty area of wilderness. The path they were taking was rough and barren, and there was nothing to stare at for miles around except the ground and a few thorny bushes here and there. 

She pulled her cloak closer to her as a wild blast of cold December wind hit her square in the face. She looked up to the sky, which was cloudy and gray, adding to the gloomy mood that everyone had at the moment. _This is starting to get depressing._

She glanced at Eli, and noticed that her friend felt the same way too. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, and realized that they had to do SOMETHING to lift everyone's spirits up. Camille smiled as she thought up of something that might help. Lifting her head slightly, she began to sing "Journey to the Past", one of the songs from the movie "Anastasia"…

_Heart, don't fail me now_

_Courage, don't desert me_

_Don't turn back now that we're here_

_People always say, "Life is full of choices"_

_No one ever mentions…fear_

_Or how the road can seem so long_

_How the world can seem so vast_

_Courage, see me through_

_Heart, I'm trusting you_

_On this journey…to the past…_

Eli smiled back at her, and picked up the next stanza of the song…

_Somewhere down this road I know someone's waiting_

_Years of dreams just can't be wrong…no_

_Arms will open wide I'll be safe and wanted_

_Finally home where I belong_

_Well starting here my life begins_

_Starting now I'm learning fast_

_Courage, see me through_

_Heart, I'm trusting you_

_On this journey…to the past…_

Glancing back at the rest of the Company, Camille noticed that they were starting to smile a little. The Hobbits, in particular, seemed to have regained a cheerful spark in their eyes again. Knowing that they were doing the right thing, she and Eli continued to sing the song, this time as a duet…

_Heart don't fail me now…_

_Courage don't desert me…_

_Home, love, family_

_There was once a time, I must've had them too…_

_Home, love, family_

_I will never be complete until I find you…_

_One step at a time, one hope then another_

_Who knows where this road may go_

_Back to who I was, on to find my future_

_Things my heart still needs to know_

_Yes, let this be a sign, let this road be mine_

_Let it lead me to my past_

_And bring me home…_

_At…last… _ 

Their voices rose into the sky, and disappeared into the gloom above them. And then, for a while, it seemed that the clouds thinned a bit, and some light from the moon and stars shone through.

Gandalf turned to them with a smile. "A wise decision, my dears," he whispered to them. "I have to admit, that helped me think a little more positively about this quest." He halted, and turned around. "I think we can stop here to rest."

There was a collective sigh of relief as the others set about to making camp. Since they were not that far yet from Rivendell's borders, Gandalf allowed them a small fire to keep them warm – and to maintain the somewhat higher spirits the Fellowship had developed after the song.

The Fellowship sat down around the fire, and while Sam set about to making supper, Merry sighed, and remarked, "I'm beginning to wish that today were a holiday. I remember all the fun we had at the Shire, right, Pippin?"

Eli suddenly jerked her head up. "What day is it today?"

It was Gandalf who answered her question. "It is the twenty-fifth of December, according to the Shire-reckoning."

_Twenty-fifth of December…_ Camille looked at Eli across the fire, and they laughed. "Oh my God, I don't believe it! It's CHRISTMAS, Eli! I can't believe we've forgotten!"

Eli nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Merry Christmas, Camille! Merry Christmas, everyone!"

Nine blank eyes looked back at them. "What is Christmas?" Frodo asked, and this set off a long explanation about the holiday. Of course, asking about other holidays in their world was inevitable, and so the two girls had to explain about Independence Day, New Year's Day, All Saint's and All Soul's Day, Easter, Valentine's Day, the Santacruzan, and all manner of fiestas. The latter three festivals captured the minds of those present. Aragorn, Boromir, Gandalf and Legolas found it particularly charming that the people of another world would set aside a day especially for lovers, while Merry and Pippin practically drooled as Eli described the massive feasts laid out during the Santacruzan and fiestas. 

Camille was feeling very chatty at that moment, telling everyone about the festivals she had been to during the course of her life. "Of course, there's the Tatarin Festival…whoops." She clamped her mouth shut, and turned away. _Uh oh, NOT good!!_

"CAMILLE!!!!" Eli cried. "WHY did you have to tell them that?!"  
  


"I'm sorry!" Camille exclaimed defensively as she raised her hands up in front of her. "It just…slipped out!"

But there was no stopping the questions now. The two girls were literally bombarded with them, their curiosity only heightened by Eli's outburst. 

"Okay, OKAY, we'll tell you!" Eli huffed, and glared at Camille. "Since you started this, YOU'RE going to have to explain."

Camille sighed. _I kind of saw that coming. _She took a deep breath, and began to explain. "The Tatarin is a special kind of festival only for women. It happens during the third or fourth week of August, and lasts for that same span of time." She stopped, and turned away, feeling her blush rising to her cheeks. _Oh God, I can't go on anymore…_

"Please continue, Camille," Gandalf requested. He was just as curious as everyone else.

Camille gulped, and turned back to face them, certain that her face was as red as a tomato. "You see, this festival is very old. No one knows how or why it began, but the rationale is quite clear. Its main purpose is to set women free from the conventions of their existence, particularly those of…ah…SEXUAL nature.

"During the first night of the festival, women gather around an old tree in the outskirts of the town. There, they select one of their number to be the high priestess of sorts…and that's when the 'orgy' begins."

Boromir's eyebrow shot up in question and slight shock. "Orgy?"

"Uh huh. They say that the moment the priestess is chosen, the spirits who live within the tree go out and bring pleasure to the women, the high priestess in particular. For the duration of the festival, if any woman goes to the tree at any time, it is certain that the spirits will pleasure her, or entice a male to do it for them. If the girl is a virgin, however, the spirits are the ones who do it. USUALLY. Sometimes they will get a man to do it whether the girl is a virgin or not.

"If any one man wants to get near a woman while she is in that 'state', they will have to get down on their knees and kiss her foot, to pay homage to her as being his equal and occasionally more powerful consort. For one week, the women are freed from their obligations to their husbands, boyfriends, parents, what-have-you…and are allowed to do whatever they want, and be whoever they want to be. But at the end of that week, the women go back to normal; everything goes back to normal. That is, until the next year, of course. Then the festival starts up again."

Silence for a long time. Camille ducked her head, and rubbed her cheeks, trying to get rid of her blush.

Gandalf was the first to recover. "Indeed, that is a rather strange festival you celebrate."

Gimli snorted. "Scandalous and lewd is more like it. What sort of women would attend such a 'celebration', if it can be called that?"

Camille sighed. "It's just a way of release, Gimli. Believe me, if I was repressed the way women were once, then I'd probably do worse things than what are done in the Tatarin. Oh sure, there are still conventions I have to conform to, but not to the point that I'm not allowed to be who I really am."

"It's been waning, though, the power of the Tatarin Festival," Eli added. "The way I see it, the less repressed a woman is, the less the hold of the spirits on her. In our time, women are quite liberated and free to do what they want to do, so the Tatarin no longer holds the same power it did before." She grinned evilly. "But in this world, the women are still bound down and fettered, so if we were to replicate the Tatarin here, then I bet that it'd be pretty wild."

"What do you mean by 'liberated'?" Aragorn asked curiously.

"Well, it means that we're free to do what we want to do – within reason and the law, naturally. Women don't have to sit around the house, just being good wives and mothers. Almost anything a man can do, we can do too. Fight in an army, lead a country, whatever…women can do it," Camille explained. 

Just then, Pippin yawned, and said, "If the Ladies will excuse me, I'll go off to bed now." With that, he stood up, and trudged over to a small patch of ground, curling up in his cloak and falling asleep in no time.

Those who were still awake laughed softly amongst themselves. Camille yawned as well, and smiled. "Looks like I'll have to plead Pip's excuse too. My dream spirits are starting to call." She got up, and didn't look back as she called a "Good night" to everyone. Finding a comfortable-looking spot a few steps away from Pippin's place, she lay down, and curled up in her cloak, sliding into a comfortable sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, that was weird and a little pointless. I just felt like tossing in a little interlude in the space of time between the part wherein the Company leaves Rivendell and reaches Hollin – to be attacked by the crebain. And as for the Tatarin thing…I was inspired by a movie of the same name, but didn't watch. All the info I got on it is based on the trailer and the movie reviews I saw in the newspapers. And the whole explanation about it was partly made-up, and partly true. Whatever details I couldn't remember I simply made up. Next up – crebains attack! But before that, Eli and Camille prove to everyone just what they can do with those swords of theirs… See you in the next chap!


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Dance of the Blades on ...

Chapter Sixteen: Dance of the Blades on the Hill at Hollin 

"Let us take a rest here."

Legolas halted when he heard Gandalf's call from the front, and smiled when he heard cheers from Merry and Pippin. _This journey must be terribly hard on them, _he thought as he climbed onto a nearby boulder, and stood on it to look at the surrounding area. His Elvish eyes allowed him to see a distance far beyond that of mortals, so it made perfect sense that he would be the first to look around. Finding nothing nearby that seemed like a potential threat, he turned to Gandalf, and nodded. 

He watched as the Company took up their usual positions around the fire that was being started by Sam. It had been thirteen days since he had last seen the glow of a fire, and it was a welcome thing for him.

Presently, Camille came up towards him, and he smiled. He knew already what she wanted to say even before she had even said it. He moved a little bit to give her room, and she sat beside him, her shoulder pressed a bit against his back. He glanced at her. "Are you tired?"

Camille sighed, and nodded. "A bit, yeah. But nothing I can't handle." Her gaze drifted over to where Frodo was sitting with Gandalf and Sam, and said, "Though I really pity Frodo. He's obviously going through a lot of emotional trouble right now. Sometimes, I wonder why a guy as innocent as he is has to end up with such a heavy burden like taking the One Ring to Mordor. Though I admit that was pretty gutsy of him to offer like that, still…"

"I understand what you are trying to say," Legolas said quietly. "It is always the most innocent who suffer during times of chaos."

"Yeah." She grinned slightly as she looked at him. "The world's pretty sick when it does that, don't you think?"

Legolas nodded in response, unable to find the words to say to her. He was drawn again to her eyes, drowning again in her beauty…

CLANG CLINK CLANG!!!!

He turned back to the others, and witnessed a charming sight. Boromir was trying to teach the Hobbits how to fight with their swords. It was rather amusing, watching these short Halflings take on Boromir and his long sword, especially if one considered the fact that Boromir was twice as tall as they…

During a pause in the mock-fight, Eli smirked, and called to her friend. "Hey Camille, want to show these guys how to use a sword?" 

A glint of mischief flashed in Camille's eyes. "Is that a challenge, Eli?"

Eli slowly got up, and walked to the space where Boromir and the Hobbits had been practicing. She lifted up her scabbard, and held it up in front of her face, the silver dragon shining in the warm sun. "What does it look like?"

Camille smirked, and slid down from her seat beside Legolas. She walked over to where Eli was, standing a good distance away from her. Her smile as she looked at her friend was strange and seemed rather unfriendly. "You dare to challenge me, the Golden Phoenix? You dare to test my skills? Know whom you challenge. I am Jin Feng, last daughter of the Clan of the Phoenix, master of the Kodachi Nitou Ryuu. I shall not yield."

Eli smirked as well. "You dare to mock me, the White Dragon? I know whom I challenge, and I shall dare to test your skills with the blade. Remember whom you go up against. I am Bai Long, sole heir of the Dragon Clan, master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. I know no defeat."

Watching them and hearing them talk like that made Legolas panic a little. He got up from his seat, and stood beside Aragorn, who was watching the entire affair with mingled interest and concern. ^Do you think that they will be alright, Aragorn?^

The mortal shrugged his shoulders. ^I do not know, Legolas. This appears troubling, but I know that they will not hurt each other.^

Suddenly, there was a loud CLANG, like that of metal crashing against metal. When Legolas turned to look, he saw an amazing sight. Camille and Eli were up against each other, each holding a strange sword – or, in Camille's case, TWO swords. They were curved and thin, ending in a sharp point near the end. The blades only had one sharpened edge, but it was quite lethal.

The two girls had driven their blades against each other up to the hilt, and were currently smirking at each other against the clash of their weapons. They pushed against each other, and freed their swords from the lock, standing with a good distance between them. Eli stood holding her sword out with both hands, while Camille stood slightly sideways, one sword held up in front of her face, the other lowered down slightly in front of her torso.

Camille smirked. "It has been a while, Bai Long. Quite a long while. Your skills have improved."

"I have the same sentiments, Jin Feng," Eli muttered, and she charged at Camille with a war cry. Camille jumped out of the way, pushing herself high into the air, somersaulting, then landing behind Eli. The latter pivoted sharply on her right foot, her sword slashing in a deadly circle. Camille parried the attack, and dodged each succeeding one in an unearthly dance as she was pushed back against the face of a nearby boulder. Legolas thought that she had been cornered for certain, but he was wrong. 

He looked on in amazement as Camille ran headlong towards the boulder, and skittered over the face of it as though she could walk on vertical walls. When she reached a point that was higher than Eli's head, she kicked herself off the boulder, did a back flip in midair, and landed behind Eli again. Her pose, however, was different. She was now balancing on her right foot, her left leg tucked behind her in a rather awkward position. Her hands, in the meantime, assumed a different formation. One blade was held over her head, the other thrust out slightly in front of her.

Eli noticed this, and laughed. "A change of styles? Allow me to oblige you." So saying, she sank low onto the ground, her left leg extended so that the heel was supporting part of her weight, while her right leg was placed beneath her, keeping the rest of her off the ground. She was holding her sword over her head in almost the same way that Camille was, but her left arm was held out in front of her. The thumb, index, and middle fingers were held up sharply from the palm, while the ring and pinkie fingers were curled inwards.

It was Camille who attacked first. She dashed at Eli with a shout that could have sent fear running through the veins of any Orc, her twin blades poised ahead of her. She was close to skewering Eli, had not the other girl managed to move her own sword in a position to block the attack. How she did it, the other members of the Fellowship never figured out.

They were moving very quickly now, their feet kicking up a small dust cloud around them. It didn't take long before the cloud surrounded them completely, blocking the Fellowship's view of what was going on. However, they were sure that the two were still fighting, if the clanging of metal against metal and the shouts coming from within the cloud were any indication. But suddenly, the entire commotion just stopped.

Legolas stood up, thinking that something had gone wrong. He squinted in an attempt to see through the dust, and for a while, he couldn't pierce the veil. However, the wind was kind, and swept the cloud away in a moment. The sight that stood revealed before them was alarming. Camille was standing behind Eli, her twin blades crossed just beneath the latter's chin; in the perfect position to make a double slash across her throat. In the meantime, Eli's sword was pointed backwards, the tip angled up slightly so that it was just below Camille's heart. One little twitch of her hand and the sword would plunge into Camille's chest.

For a few intense moments, the Fellowship looked on at the two girls in silent awe. And then, the tension was broken when the two girls laughed rather merrily, breaking free from each other. 

"How…how did you do it?" Boromir asked in amazement as the two girls sheathed their weapons and walked up to them. 

Eli shrugged. "It was nothing."

Merry now looked at her with a worshipful gaze. "Could you teach me how to fight like that?"

Camille laughed, and patted the Hobbit's head affectionately. "Sorry Merry, but it's not as easy learning this as you think. Eli and I spent most of our lives learning how to fight the way we do, and believe me; it isn't as easy as swinging a sword and parrying attacks like Boromir taught you. Eli and I could spend a month or even a year with you and we still wouldn't get past the basics. You have to be taught from birth how to do this."

Legolas smiled at the girl. "It seems like quite a beautiful art. It is deadly, true, but the grace and the fluidity of it all made watching you seem like watching a dance."

"An art it is, Legolas. One that is passed down from one generation to the next in our family," Camille said thoughtfully. "One child is chosen in the family, and the Master devotes his time to them, teaching them the Art of the Blade, until such time that they are ready to take on the responsibility of teaching it and handing it down to their children."

Legolas smiled again, and he let his gaze drift over her. Her face and hair were damp with her perspiration, and the little droplets of moisture caught the light, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Her face had a soft blush due to exertion, and he could never get over the fact that she was so lovely, so beautiful…

Suddenly, he sensed something from the east. He turned to look, and saw a black shape in the sky heading towards them. His eyes widened. _It cannot be!_ He turned to the others, and yelled, "Everyone, hide now! Crebain from Fangorn and Dunland are heading this way!"

Upon hearing him, the others quickly dropped whatever it was they were doing, and jumped into any convenient hiding space, attempting to conceal themselves with thick boughs of holly or beneath rocky overhangs. Legolas dove into the nearest holly bush, only to find himself lying on top of Camille.

The girl looked up at him, brown eyes widened with surprise, but she didn't make a single sound. Legolas felt her body tense beneath his, and he knew that it had something to do with her being in such a compromising position under him.

He bent closer to her ear, whispering to her reassuringly. ^Keep quiet, Eriol. The crebain will pass over us soon.^ Camille nodded in response, and he felt her relax a little.

Soon, the sound of flurrying wings and hoarse squawks filled his ears, and he twisted his head upwards to look. The crebain were flying over them now, lingering as if looking for something. But they did not stay for long, and soon they were winging their way to the northeast.

After ascertaining that they were now safe, Legolas got up, and pulled Camille to her feet. He watched as she dusted off her clothes, smiling amusedly at the blush that stained her cheeks.

Realizing that there were more important things to attend to, he walked over to where Gandalf and Aragorn were talking in hushed tones. "What is our next course of action?" he asked quietly.

Aragorn shook his head, looking towards the distant mountains. The snow-covered peak of Caradhras gleamed in the sun. "We can no longer move around in daytime. It seems that our path through Hollin is being watched. We will have to get to the Redhorn Gate by a different path."

Gandalf sighed heavily. "There are two paths that we might take to reach the Dimrill Dale, our goal as of this moment. We can either attempt to climb Caradhras to reach the Redhorn Gate, or we can take the dark and secret pathway that we have spoken of."

Aragorn turned to the Wizard just then. "But I wish not to take the latter path anytime soon, unless a dire emergency forces us to do so. I say that we try to climb Caradhras."

Gandalf nodded slowly. "Yes, that is the best way, perhaps…" He turned to the rest of the Fellowship. "We must take a new course, my friends. We are no longer welcome here in Hollin."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Whew, that's done! This bit was based partly on the book, and partly on the movie. The fact that they stopped on a hill, that Boromir was teaching the Hobbits how to fight, and that it was Legolas who saw the crebain were based on the movie. In the book, the Fellowship was actually asleep, Aragorn and Sam were on watch, and it was Aragorn who saw the crebain. However, the talk about the Dimrill Dale and going to Caradhras were based on the book. So, what did you think of the fight scene? I'm not that good at writing action scenes, but I'm trying to improve as much as I can… Anyway, next up, the Fellowship tries to cross Caradhras, but when they fail, they have to get down the mountain and take the path through Moria. What will they find along the way? Stay tuned!


	18. Chapter Seventeen: More Legends

Chapter Seventeen: More Legends 

Eli could hear her teeth chattering as she trudged through the snow, her thick clothes suddenly feeling VERY insufficient in the biting wind. _This is SO not good…I HATE the cold!!!_

She blinked, trying to clear out the snowflakes that had settled on her eyelashes, and peered at the others, who were walking at a slight distance ahead of them. Leading them was Legolas, because the Elf could actually walk OVER the snow, and didn't have to trudge THROUGH it. Behind him was Gandalf, then Gimli, then the Hobbits, then Boromir, then themselves, and Aragorn brought up the rear.

Beside her, Camille started to grumble, Eli amazed at the fact that she managed to keep herself from stuttering. "And to think that I always wanted to see snow. Now I don't want to see it ever again!"

Aragorn came up behind them, putting his arms over their shoulders and giving them some protection from the cold. "You have never seen snow before?"

Eli shook her head, finally confident that she could talk without her chattering teeth interfering with her. "Nope. Our country's too far south for us to be able to experience winter. The coldest temperature we get isn't enough to allow for snow. We only have two seasons: rainy season, which is basically what autumn and winter are for us, and dry season, which is our spring and summer combined."

Camille sighed. "You know how I always complain about how hot it gets during summer? Now, I sure wish I could feel that instead of this cold."

"Try to get used to it, Ladies," Aragorn said with a sympathetic chuckle. "I know that this cold must be hard on you who are not used to it, but I know also that you are strong, and that you will be able to handle it."

Eli nodded. She did her best to smile at Aragorn. ^Thank you, Aragorn.^

The Ranger smiled at her. ^'Twas nothing, Eli.^

Just then, those ahead of them stopped, apparently unable to continue. Eli looked ahead, and noticed that Gandalf seemed to be standing at a bend in the path, and was shouting against the wind in a strange language. _Huh? What's he doing?_

It was only then that she heard a strange voice in the air around them. It sounded like a man's voice, drifting over to them through the winds. As she continued to listen to the voice, she felt herself beginning to weaken. She fell to her knees, the snow rising higher and higher around her. There was a loud CRACK, and she lost consciousness as tons of snow and ice fell over her, knocking her out.

*      *      *

Camille woke up to a MASSIVE headache throbbing its way through her brain. "Uuugh…" Slowly, she sat up, and rubbed her hand against her head. "What the hell happened?"

"You were buried under more than six feet of ice, my dear. Legolas, Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli took quite a while to get you out," Gandalf answered as he smiled down at her from his seat. He was smoking his pipe, and didn't look the worse for wear after that snowstorm.

Camille's mind was still working at a rather sluggish pace, but she managed to digest all the information Gandalf had told her, her head throbbing all the way. "Thank you for the update Gandalf. I don't need another reminder of that past experience." She knew that she sounded very cranky, but she didn't care. _How do you expect me to act with this headache?!_

Aragorn approached them then, holding a small bowl from which small curls of steam rose. He handed the bowl to her with a kind smile. "Here, inhale the steam for as long as you can. It should relieve some of the pain you have and make it more bearable."

Camille moved in an automatic fashion, taking the bowl from the Ranger's hand and holding it below her nose. The steam curled up from the water, and it carried a sweet, slightly pungent odor that went right to her head, and immediately cleared out the headache, as well as some of the other pains in her body. She felt her muscles relax, and she let out a long sigh. "Wow, that felt good…" 

She opened her eyes, and noticed Aragorn looking at her with a smile on his face. "Do you feel better now?" 

Camille nodded. "Uh huh, most definitely. And thank you for getting me out." She gave the bowl back to him, and stood up. Though she felt a little pain in her legs and back, it was dull and tolerable, so she just decided to grin and bear it. She walked over to where the Hobbits, Gimli, Legolas and Boromir were, sinking in the space between the Elf and the Dwarf. She smiled at them. "Thanks for helping me and Eli back there on Caradhras, you two. I owe you big time now."

Legolas smiled kindly at her in response, but Gimli chuckled. "You should thank the Elf, Camille. It was he who was most desperate to reach you through the snowfall. I only helped. You should have seen him when the ice fell on top of you, Lady! He became as pale as the snow that covered you, and he constantly shouted your name, and a lot of other words in Elvish."

"He was admonishing you, actually," said Gandalf from behind them. "He was saying that you should live, else he would throw himself down from the peaks of Caradhras."

Camille felt her eyes widen involuntarily as the rest of the Fellowship roared with laughter, and Legolas turned away, his face suddenly flushing crimson. Camille lowered her head, her mind running at top speed. _Oh my God…did he really say that?! Was he REALLY intent on following me to the next world should I die?!_

Her thoughts drifted back to the day before they left Rivendell, to the time when he told her that he loved her while she was standing on the viewing deck that overlooked the Bruinen River. She still remembered his words, for they were forever burned in her memory. _I love you, Eriol. I love you, more so than you could ever imagine. My heart has longed for you since I saw you many moons ago, and that longing has only grown through time… _

"Hey Camille, you okay?"

Camille jerked her head up, and noticed Eli standing in front of her. Apparently, she had woken up just a few minutes after she had, and was also treated by Aragorn. She blinked to clear her thoughts, and grinned, nodding at her friend. "Yeah, just fine. Never been better."

Pippin and Merry snorted a bit just then, but Eli chose to ignore them. She shrugged, and jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Gandalf says that there's a cave nearby where we can take shelter in for the rest of the time before we continue on our journey. He thinks that we ALL need a break after what happened on Caradhras."

"Yeah, that we DO need." Camille got up, and followed Eli to where Gandalf was standing in front of a cave. She looked at the mouth of the place, and felt that something was weird about it. _The entrance is shaped like a perfect rectangle… _Filled with curiosity, she looked towards the sides, and rubbed her fingers over the edges to remove the dirt and moss that covered them. Sure enough, she found grooves in the stone where large hinges would have been fitted, and managed to clear out what looked like an intricate pattern cut into the stone.

_Huh? What's this?_ Her curiosity fully aroused, she started to clear more and more of the dirt from the edge, and uncovered the motif of a border pattern that apparently went all around the opening of the "cave". And stranger still, the pattern was neither Elvish nor Dwarfish, but ORIENTAL. _It looks like something that would be placed around the doors to a Chinese temple or a Japanese pagoda._

A cold wave rushed through her then. She turned to Eli, and cried, "Eli, take a look at this!"

The girl, who had been talking with Aragorn, turned to her, a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "What?"

"Just come here and look at this!" Camille exclaimed urgently.

The Ranger and her best friend looked at each other for a minute before walking up to her. Camille stepped back so that Eli could see the motif clearly, and she heard her gasp. "Oh my God, you've GOT to be kidding me…"

"What is the matter? Why do you seem so troubled by seeing this?" Aragorn asked, concerned.

Eli shook her head. "We're not troubled, just…shocked." She looked up towards the edge of the cave's mouth. "That pattern would have run around the edges over there." She pointed with her finger to the very top part of the entrance. "But since we can't reach that part, we're just going to have to assume." She scowled. "But how did it GET here in the first place?! This isn't an Elven design, and I can also safely say that it isn't Dwarfish. It looks like…it looks like a Chinese or Japanese pattern."

Aragorn was clearly confused. "Chinese? Japanese? You speak in riddles now, Eli."

Camille wasn't really concerned with them now. A huge slab of stone was standing there, and though the edges were now smooth and weatherworn, she could still make out the shape of it. It was rectangular and flat, cut in such a way that it could NOT have been made by Nature alone. She approached it, and started to wipe her hands over it, clearing off the grime of the ages.

Slowly, shapes began to appear beneath her searching fingers. An intricate design etched in the stone began to take form, along with a series of regularly made scratches that were apparently a form of writing. Soon, the whole face of the stone had been cleared, and Camille stood back to look at it.

Her jaw dropped. "Oh…my…GOD…"

*      *      *

Legolas sensed Camille's surprise, and he approached her to see if she was alright. ^Eriol?^ He found her standing in front of a stone slab that stood near the entrance of a cave, and she was staring at it as though it was the most amazing sight. _What could be so special about a piece of rock?_ As he moved closer, however, he realized why she was staring at it.

A complicated pattern was carved near the top of the slab. There was a circle in the middle, with a wavy line down the middle and two dots on each half. Around it was a strange arrangement of creatures: a serpent-tortoise; a dragon similar to the one that was inlaid into Eli's scabbard; a phoenix, also quite similar to the one that Camille's sheaths bore; and a cat-like creature with stripes. Below this was a series of scratches, but they looked too regularly made to be considered as having been done by natural forces.

Camille was staring at the slab in awe. "I don't believe this… ELI! Get your little butt down here NOW!!!"

Eli ran over to her best friend's side, and the moment she saw the slab, she uttered a loud gasp. "Oh God, is that real?! But…but what is THAT doing here?! I thought that we were the only people from our world to have ever made it here!!!"

Legolas was stunned. "What are you trying to imply? That these things we see here are from YOUR world?"

Camille nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah, we're positive." She pointed at the design at the top. "You see that? The circle in the middle is the symbol for Yin and Yang, the forces that control the energies of the world. They are supposed to be opposites, but they complement each other. If there is too much or too little of either one, then there will be imbalances in the energies of the universe.

"And the animals around the symbol…those are supposed to be the Four Gods, from an ancient legend from China: Genbu, serpent god of the North; Seiryuu, dragon god of the East; Suzako, phoenix god of the South; and Byakko, tiger god of the West. They used to be worshipped in our world in another country called China, but their cult has long since died away."

Legolas lightly touched the rock, his fingertips lingering over the scratches. "But what are these other carvings? They seem to be runes of some sort, though I do not know exactly. They do not resemble the Elvish runes."

"That's because they AREN'T Elvish runes," Eli said quietly. She glanced at Camille. "They look like kanji, don't you think?"

Camille nodded. "Yeah, looks like it." 

"Can you translate it then? I know how good you are when it comes to this sort of thing…"

"I don't know. I haven't memorized all the characters yet." Camille walked up to the slab, touching a pattern of scratches. "See, I know this one here is 'hoshi', or 'star', and that this one over here is 'yama'; 'mountain'." She closed her eyes. "I think I could translate it, but I'll need some time. And I'll need my dictionary to work it out accurately." She turned to Eli then. "Eli, could you do me a favor? Go check my backpack, and get me my pencil case, a notebook, and my kanji dictionary. The dictionary will be in the right side pocket."

Eli raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You brought your dictionary with you? Jeez Camille, you really DO love your books, don't you?"

Camille flashed a half-smile. "Books are always better than real, live boyfriends any day of the week, Eli. They don't talk back and they're always there for you. You can have as many of them as you want and they won't complain. Now could you just go and get my things for me now? I'm itching to find out what this all means."

As Eli ran off towards the packs, Legolas turned to Camille, and asked, "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

The girl gave a slow nod. "I'm very sure. In fact, I've never been so sure in my entire life. There's something going on here, and whatever it is, I'm going to do my best to unravel it." She turned to him, and smiled. "You'd better tell the others about this. Tell Gandalf not to let the others go further into the cave until Eli and I manage to figure out what this all means."

Legolas smiled, and bowed to her. "As you wish, Camille."

*      *      *

Aragorn waited patiently for the two girls to finish their translation of the writings on the stone. For the most part, they worked in silence, but occasionally broke that to debate upon the meaning of a certain character or another. The debates did not last long, for they were usually resolved quickly.

  
Gimli shifted irritably. "What is taking them so long? I thought that they would just have to translate a few characters."

"Patience, Gimli son of Gloin," Gandalf told the Dwarf. "I am certain that the Ladies will finish soon. After all, it is best not to go into dark caves without prior knowledge about them first."

At long last, Aragorn caught sight of Camille and Eli walking towards them the two of them talking excitedly over something. When they got nearer, he caught Eli saying, "But this is just a freaking LEGEND, Camille!"

"Don't shout at me like that!" Camille shot back with a matching glare. "And I don't give a damn about whether this is supposed to be a legend or not! In this world, ANYTHING'S possible, but WHY it had to be something along the lines of Fushigi Yuugi, I will never know."

Aragorn looked at them as they approached. "Have you translated it, Ladies?"

Eli sighed, and nodded, sitting down beside him. "Yeah, Camille managed to figure everything out. Camille?"

The girl being spoken to nodded, and looked at a piece of paper in her hand. "Okay, this is what I managed to figure out from the stone:

"To you who find this Temple, here in the Mountains of the Stars, hear first our tale. We are the Priestesses of the Four Gods.

"Know that we four maidens were once ordinary girls living in a world torn by war and strife. It was the year 1945, and our land was the center of an epic battle between countries of great military might. We have lost our families to the enemy, and it seemed that there was no hope for us. Until a great light took us away, and sent us here, to this world. We do not know what to call this place, and perhaps never will.

"The moment we came here, we were greeted by the Four Gods, from an ancient myth that only one of us knew about. They had called us here to fill this world with life, and to act as its guardians until others could be found to care for it.

"We did this task as best as we could. We brought forth trees and flowers and animals of many kinds, creating what we could in accordance to our world, and creating our own from our own whims. And the Four Gods were kind to us, lending us their power to do what we pleased. We raised mountains and hills, made springs and rivers, and filled the valleys with grass and forests. All this we made with joy and happiness.

"But our time is running short. We are but mortal, and our strength is failing us. Though the Gods were kind and helped extend our lives, we are meant to die. And where better to die than here, in this land we shaped with our own hands, and among friends with whom we have grown as close as sisters. And so, by their leave, we have sealed the Gods within this cave, and have decided to leave here, to die on our own in the places we loved best.

"Hark then, whoever comes across this cave! If dire need should require that you unseal the Four Gods, then go within and seek their Sanctuary. But if you come here with an evil heart, seeking only to gain power and use it for evil ends, then beware! The Four Gods know when a heart is pure, and they shall yield only to one with such. Enter, and face their trials. Only then shall they give you their power."

Camille looked up from the paper, her eyes drifting towards the shadowy interior of the cave. "Well, the way I see it, this cave is where the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth are sealed. The legend Gandalf spoke of was true, but wasn't, in a way, for the Spirits didn't sleep, they were sealed. Long ago, four girls from our world came here, and through them, the Spirits created what is now known as Middle-Earth. They extended the lifespan of the four girls, but since they were only mortal, they had to die sometime soon. Before they did, they sealed the Spirits within this cave."

Gandalf was the one who spoke first. "What does this mean then? That THIS is where the Four Spirits are hidden?" 

Camille nodded. "Yeah, that's what it said." She stood up, tucking the paper in her tunic. "Well, it looks like Eli and I can finally become full-fledged Summoners. We're just going to have to walk in here, find the Sanctuary, pass the tests of the Four Gods, and get them. After that, we can go on our merry little way."

"Do not be so confident of yourself, Camille," Aragorn warned. "You do not know what tests you will be facing."

Eli shrugged. "We'll be fine, Aragorn." She walked over to where Gandalf was standing with a torch in his hand. "Let's go then, everyone."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ooh, they've found it! Finally, the girls are going to become Summoners…that is, if they can past the trials first laughs wickedly!!!! You thought I'd let them get the Spirits WITHOUT making them work a little to get them?! Fat chance of that! Anyway, I'm sure other anime fans that have read this story thus far will be making comparisons to Fushigi Yuugi. Actually, yeah, I DID get the entire Summoning idea from Fushigi Yuugi, but I twisted it a little to work with this story. I decided to get right to the Summoning part, skipping all that Seishi-finding in between. Anyway, on with the story! The Fellowship goes deeper into the cave, seeking out the Sanctuary where the Four Spirits are sealed. The stone outside the entrance spoke of a trial…will the girls be able to pass it? You'll find out soon! Namarie!!!


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Into the Cave of the F...

Chapter Eighteen: Into the Cave of the Four Spirits 

Camille walked down the dark pathway, holding her torch aloft, the light glinting off her hair and her phoenix brooch. Eli walked beside her, her dragon brooch flickering in the flame of her torch. 

_This is getting VERY creepy…_ Camille thought. There was nothing but roughly hewn rock all around her, looking very much like a natural cavern. _Did we make a wrong turn somewhere? Were we supposed to turn at some point?_ But she hadn't noticed any other passageways, and if there were, Gimli would have noticed it and warned them about it…

Suddenly, she stopped, seeing something ahead of her. _Huh?_ She stuck her torch closer to the "thing", and gasped when she realized what it was. A pair of huge doors of dark wood blocked their path, the wood carved with an intricate pattern of interlocking geometric figures in a classic Chinese design.

Eli walked closer, her mouth hanging open. "Oh yeah, NOW I'm sure. This is DEFINITELY not something found on Middle-Earth."

Legolas stood beside Camille, his brow creasing as he looked at the door. "What kind of wood is that? I do not recognize it."

"Of course you wouldn't. I don't think you have wood like this here in Middle-Earth," Camille said softly. She inhaled, and let it out again in a long, slow breath. "Just as I thought; it's cedar. Even after all these years, you can still smell the scent of the wood…"

Eli nodded slowly. "Cedar was really popular among the Chinese, along with cypress, rosewood and sandalwood. They used it for the columns in the palaces, and paneled rooms with it." 

"But whatever this may be, it is still a door, and an obstacle," Gimli muttered as he strode over to the heavy gold rings shaped like dragons, and attempted to push the door open, but a strange force would not permit it, for he was suddenly thrown back with great force into the rest of the Company. He would have struck the far wall had not Boromir stopped him in time.

Gandalf frowned. "There is a strange power in this place. It is mighty, and will not suffer anyone to open these doors." He clutched his staff more tightly. "How shall we enter now?"

Camille stared at the doors, thinking hard. _How are we going to get past it now?_ She didn't want to get knocked down like Gimli had been, but they HAD to; they needed the Spirits' help. 

Suddenly, Frodo gasped. "Camille, your brooch!"

_Huh?_ Passing her torch to Legolas, Camille lightly touched her brooch, and realized that it was warm, and seemed to be literally pulsing with energy. She removed it, and held it up to her face. Frodo was right. Indeed, the eyes of the phoenix seemed to be glowing, and a soft light seemed to shine from deep within the ruby sphere, as though it held a star trapped within it.

She tasted panic at the back of her mouth. _What the hell is going on here?!_ She glanced at Eli, and noticed that she too was staring at her brooch, and it too was glowing. The eyes of the dragon flashed in the gloom, and the sapphire sphere shone softly.

Eli looked up at Camille, and their eyes met. "Somehow," she muttered, "this is starting to get VERY freaky."

"Tell me about it," Camille murmured. She pinned the brooch back to her cloak, and looked at the doors. _Should I, or shouldn't I? _Realizing that there was no other choice, she huffed, and walked over to the doors. 

"Do not be a fool, Camille!" Boromir cried suddenly. "You witnessed what happened to Gimli; do you wish to have the same fate?!"

Camille took the time to answer as she stood before the doors. "I'll be okay, Boromir. Trust me on this, I know what I'm doing." _I think. _Firming up her resolve, she held her arms out towards the door, steeling herself for the force that she thought would throw her back.

But nothing happened. In fact, her fingers hadn't even touched the door rings when the hinges creaked, and the entire thing swung inwards towards the room beyond.

Camille's jaw dropped. _Huh? But I didn't even TOUCH it yet!_

Gandalf stood beside her then, the crystal at the top of his staff glowing to provide them with some light. He smiled at her slightly. "Now you have proven to a certain degree that you and Eli are the true Summoners. The door would not open to Gimli, and yet it swings open before your hand has even touched it!"

Camille lowered her gaze to the floor, and shuffled onwards, following Gandalf as he entered the hallway and searched for any possible dangers. She was much too confused about the recent events. _I'm not even a Summoner yet, and I've already made a door open without even touching it! _

Eli walked over to her side, and whispered, "I feel the same way you do, Camille. I'm scared. Dead scared."

Camille sighed, and moved closer to her best friend. "You have no idea just how scared I am, Eli."

*      *      *

Eli swung her torch slowly to the right, trying to shed some light in the deeper shadows. The cave was impossibly dark, and even the light of the torch seemed to sputter in the gloom. 

Just in front of her, Gandalf snuffed the air, and asked, "What a strange scent! Fortunately it does not smell evil, but it is quite odd." He turned to her, his eyes glinting beneath his bushy brows in the light that shone from the crystal on top of his staff. "Tell me, dear girls, do you know what this strange scent is?"

Eli heard Camille take in a deep breath, and from the light of her torch, she could see her eyes close and her mouth smile dreamily. "Oh yeah, I can tell you, alright. I can smell sandalwood, and myrrh, and frankincense, and…cloves and cinnamon, I think, and other spices." She opened her eyes then. "I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and yet…I feel like I've entered a holy place."

Eli nodded in agreement. She had smelled the same scents too. "They burned incense here, at one point…" She saw a large urn standing in the corner, and noticed a pile of gray dust in it. She touched it with her index finger, coating it in gray powder. She lifted it to her nose, and sniffed it. "Yup, I was right. Incense, and lots of it too." She glanced at the others. "Come on, there's still more. If my presumptions are correct, we still have a lot of walking to do."

They pressed on into the gloom, passing through the hall and entering another one. The door here was made of cedar, but the design carved into it, was different. It was of a large tortoise, with a serpent wrapped around its shell. Eli could tell that it had once been painted in greens, blacks, and browns lined with gold, but the paint had long ago flaked away, and all that remained was the gold and the brilliant emeralds that were the eyes of the serpent and tortoise. A glint of gold flashed at the bottom, and in the flickering torchlight, Eli made them out to be more kanji writing.

"Genbu, Green Serpent God of the North, Lord of the Earth, Master of All Things that Grow," Camille whispered, translating the golden lettering. Her eyes slowly climbed up the door, wandering over the carven design. For a moment, the emeralds seemed to glow brighter, but they faded away before anyone save Camille and Eli could notice.

Eli gazed solemnly at the door. "Genbu Earthshaker, as he was sometimes called, for he held in his control the roots of the mountains, and he could shake them at will when he needed to. With one sweep of his tail he would strike the mighty gongs beneath the ground, and the vibrations would cause the world to tremble." She walked towards the doors, knowing that they would open only for her or Camille, and they swung open just like they had the first time for her best friend. The air within the chamber was cool, and smelled like plants and other growing things.

Frodo stepped up beside her, and there was a small smile upon his face. "The air feels fresh here, like the air in the woods I played in when I was but a boy."

Suddenly, Camille said, "Cherry blossoms."

Eli turned to her. "What?"

"Cherry blossoms," Camille repeated. She glanced at her then. "Can't you smell it? It's all over the place, as though there were actually a whole tree of it growing in here."

Pippin suddenly pointed. "In fact, I think you're not too far off the mark, Camille."

Eli looked up, and her jaw almost hit the floor. Indeed, right in the middle of the hall, was a large cherry tree in full bloom, the pale pink petals slowly falling to the ground and coating it with a fragrant carpet.

"I don't believe it," she whispered. "An entire cherry tree growing in a cave…"

Gandalf looked at the tree with an analytical eye. "There is nothing that seems impossible for the Four Spirits of Middle-Earth. To make a tree grow where there should be complete darkness and thus an impossible place for any plant to grow…"

Eli shook her head. "Now THIS is really freaking me out." She nodded towards the door ahead. "Come on, let's get moving. We're probably going to have to pass three more halls, if each Spirit has its own."

*      *      *

Gandalf walked steadily beside the two girls, holding his staff aloft to shed light on their path. They had recently passed through three halls, one each for the Spirits of the East, South, and West, respectively.

After the Hall of Genbu, the next one was the Hall of Seiryuu, Blue Dragon God of the East, Lord of the Waters, and Master of Water in All Its Forms. Inside, they found a fountain from which gushed the purest, most crystalline water that ever had been seen in all of Middle-Earth, more wholesome than the waters that flowed from the springs of Kheled-Zaram in Moria.

Next was the Hall of Suzako, Red Phoenix God of the South, Lord of the Flame, and Master of All Fire that Springs from Heaven and Earth. Within the hall was a large flame ablaze within an ornate golden urn, and it surprised them all that it still burned, even after many Ages of Middle-Earth had passed.

The last hall was the Hall of Byakko, White Tiger God of the West, Lord of the Winds, and Master of All Breezes, Winds and Gales that May Come from the Four Corners of Middle-Earth. The hall itself was empty, yet a musical sound, like that of many flutes, reached their ears, and a soft, gentle breeze that soothed their bodies and eased their minds played within the room. 

But they had left that hall, and were currently walking down a seemingly endless pathway, leading to where not even Eli and Camille knew. And it was because of this that Gandalf felt a little troubled. _Where does this path lead,_ he wondered. _Shall it bring us at last to the Sanctuary? Or shall it bring us to a dead end?_

Suddenly, the two girls who walked in front of him halted, and stood as still as statues. Gandalf sensed something about them. They stood too stiffly, as though they had seen, heard, smelt, or sensed something that troubled them. He walked closer to them. "What is troubling you, my dears?"

They stood as silent as statues. Fearing that something had happened, Gandalf circled them so that he stood at their side, and realized something disturbing. They stared straight ahead into the gloom, eyes wide, but their eyes seemed dead, as though something had taken their souls, and all that remained of them was their bodies.

Gandalf was about to make a move to awaken them, but suddenly, they spoke, their voices the same, but carrying within them a deep power that seemed almost frightening, even to himself. They spoke thus, "We have come before the Four Spirits. We are the Summoners, chosen by Fate, brought forth by Destiny. Thy trials we shall face to prove our worth, and as our reward, thou shall lend to us thy power."

From deep within the darkness, a voice boomed to the Fellowship, "Maidens fair, thou hast come from afar to seek our power. What shall thou doest with it?"

"Destroy the One Ring, the Ring of Evil, and bring forth peace to Middle-Earth. That is our goal, and our desire."

"Thou speak truly, Fair Ones. Now we shall take thee from thy companions, to face the trials that await thee." And with that, the girls were taken, Eli in a glimmer of water and a whisper of wind, Camille in a flash of flame and a flutter of leaves. 

Legolas cried out as Camille was taken, but Gandalf raised his hand, commanding the Elf to be silent. "We must wait, Master Legolas. The Ladies will now face the trials, and if they pass then the power of the Spirits that dwell within these halls shall be theirs to command. Have no fear, for they shall be returned to us soon."

A deep laugh sounded to them. "Thou art wise, Gandalf the Gray. Thy trust shall not be given in vain, for thou shall be rewarded yet." So saying, a deep creaking sound echoed to them from further down the hall, and the soft gleam of gold reached their sight. The voice continued, "Enter the Sanctuary, and watch now the Trials of thy beloved friends."

And so Gandalf, by the leave of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth, led the rest of the Fellowship into the Inner Sanctuary of the Caves of the Four Spirits, which lies beneath Caradhras, once called by its creators the Mountain of the Star of Snow.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, that's done. I had a HARD time thinking that up, especially the Old English bit towards the end. I'm really no good at Old English, and I hope that this was a good try at it…sigh. Some of the descriptions concerning the Four Gods might not be accurate, especially what I said about Genbu striking gongs underground with his tail to cause earthquakes. I thought that one up myself ^_^. ANYWAY, on with the story! The girls are about to face their trials…what sort of trials will they be? It's all in the next chapter, folks. See ya!


	20. Chapter Nineteen: The Trials and the Des...

Chapter Nineteen: The Trials and the Descent of the Spirits 

Legolas walked behind Gandalf as he led the way towards the Inner Sanctuary, but his heart was deeply troubled. He had seen Camille being taken away by the Spirits, and it worried him to no end. He did not like it at all that she had to face these trials. _Why must she and Eli prove themselves,_ he raged in his heart. _Are they not worthy enough?!_

He paused for a moment as he and the rest of the Fellowship that remained walked into a large hall, much larger than the previous one. It was circular in shape, held up by huge pillars made of a dark wood and inlaid heavily with gold in intricate designs. The floor beneath their feet was paved with colored stones cut into tiny pieces, and they formed a huge pattern; a colored version of the circular design he had seen on the stone slab at the entrance of the cave.

Once again, the strange voice that had spoken to them while they were in the hall spoke again, and said, "Look now upon the travails of thy friends!"

In the dim light shed by Gandalf's staff there were two flashes, and Legolas soon realized that he was looking upon a pair of mirrors. Both were framed in gold, wrought with a serpent, a dragon, a phoenix, and a tiger round the edge, glimmering with jewels innumerable. 

As he watched, the shine of the glass dimmed, and it seemed to shimmer, like the surface of a calm pond when a breeze blows over it, causing ripples to form on its surface. For a while nothing could be seen through it, but in moments, the rippling ceased, and another image was presented. The left-hand mirror showed Camille, while the right-hand mirror showed Eli.

Legolas balled his hands into fists, attempting to restrain himself. His heart cried out for his beloved. _Camille!_

*      *      *

Camille floated in space, her eyes half-open, but seeing nothing. _Am I dreaming, _she wondered as she stared upwards…or was that downwards? She couldn't be too sure. Her sense of direction was completely lost in the vast space that surrounded her. And yet for some odd reason, she wasn't scared. It almost felt…right.

A voice spoke to her through the gloom. It was deep – a man's voice – but it wasn't frightening, for it was gentle and kind. "Thou art a strange one, child. Strange, but courageous."

"Who are you?" Camille asked slowly.

The owner of the voice chuckled at her inquiry. "I? I am Genbu, God of the North. And thou, fair child, who art thou?"

"I am Camille Selvitar."

"Selvitar…might thou be of the House of the Golden Phoenix? That clan has long been in the good standings of Suzako."

Camille nodded. "I am. I have the brooch to prove it."

"Very well then, Fair One. Thou must face thy trial now. Art thou ready?"

Camille closed her eyes now, though it didn't make a lot of difference. "I am."

Almost immediately, she felt gravity overtake her, and she did everything she could to land on her feet. When she opened her eyes again, she realized that she was standing in a dimly lit room. It was painted all in green, with touches of black and brown here and there. The room was bare save for the lamps that provided the light, and for a long table, upon which stood six different bottles, all filled with a certain liquid. At the very end of the table was a piece of paper. 

Camille blinked. "What is this?"

Genbu's voice spoke to her again. "Thou art a clever girl, I can see, but thou must prove thy cleverness and faith to me. I shall not yield to one who does not use their wits, and thou must prove such to me. All that thou shall need to know is on yonder paper; the rest I leave up to thee."

Knowing that something was going on, Camille walked up to the paper, and read it. On it this was written:

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_One of us will help you, and this you must find,_

_One among us six will let you move ahead,_

_But none will take you back instead,_

_Two among our number hold Elven wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, I give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide,_

_You will always find some on Elven wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Camille's mind spun, and suddenly she got an immense headache. _Oh great, a riddle! Damn, I'm not even good at these things!_ She groaned as she looked at the paper, then at the row of bottles that stood in front of her. "WHY does it have to always be ME who ends up with these sorts of things?"

She closed her eyes momentarily, trying to think clearly. _Okay, let me think…one of these will get me through, two of them are wine, and the other three are poison. A bottle of poison will always be standing on the left side of the bottles that hold the wine. The bottles at the two ends may be different, but neither one is my friend…that probably means that they are both poisons. That means the second bottle to the left and the second one to the right is the Elven wine. So that means…_ Her eyes fell on the bottle that stood third from the left. She grinned. _Of course! THAT must be the drink that will let me get through!_ Happy that she had managed to solve everything on her own, she approached the table, took the bottle, and opened it. No scent emerged from the bottle. Without a moment's hesitation, she lifted the bottle to her lips, and downed the contents. The liquid tasted like water and went easily down her throat, and the moment it hit her stomach she felt warm and contented.

Almost immediately, the darkness enveloped her again, and Genbu's voice spoke then. "Thou art as clever as I deemed thou to be, Fair One. What thou hast drunk is water drawn from Seiryuu's Spring, which thou hast seen in his Hall. Thou hast shown me not only thy clever mind, but thy courage and faith as well. And because of this, thou hast earned my respect.

"But now, I must turn thee over to Suzako, for it is his test that thou must face next. Fare thee well, and good luck." With that, the voice faded, and Camille was left alone again in the space between existences.

*      *      *

Eli looked all around her, but couldn't see anything but darkness. _Where am I, _she wondered as she tried to pierce through the murk that surrounded her. _Where's Camille?_ "Camille, are you there?"

A voice answered her then. "Nay, thy friend is not here, Fair One, but she is being well taken cared of."

Eli whirled around, if that could be done while one was floating. "Who are you?!"

The owner of the voice laughed then. "Why art thou so suspicious of me?"

Eli smirked. "Well how can I NOT be suspicious of someone who decided to hypnotize me and then put me in a place where I can't even see who I'm talking to?"

Laughter echoed to her from the void, and the voice spoke again. "Thou speak in true words, but I remind thee that this is for thine own good. I am Byakko, God of the West. And who art thou, Fair One?"

"Elisabeth Carnahan."

"Ah, a Carnahan…I am assuming that thou art from the House of the White Dragon, art thou not? Thy clan was high in the graces of Seiryuu, before it slowly fell into ruin."

Eli raised her eyebrow in mockery. "Okay, so you may know a lot about my family history, but what's the point? I don't need a lesson about history, if you must know."

"Indeed, thou dost not need it. Would thou rather proceed with thy test?"

_Test?_ Eli smirked, remembering. _How hard can it be?_ "Alright then, let me at it."

"As thou wish." Eli felt that she was standing on her feet again, and that there was light all around her. She blinked to clear her vision, and realized that she was standing in a large ring-shaped area filled with sand. The room all around her was painted in glimmering white, highlighted by silver and touches of black. She turned around slowly, surveying the scene. _This looks like an arena. What am I going to do, fight a couple Orcs or two?_ "What do you want me to do, Byakko?"

"'Tis quite a simple matter. I only wish that thou face the two thou would least want to face in battle."

Eli's eyes widened. _Huh? What's THAT supposed to mean?_ As she waited, two doors swung open, and out stepped two figures that Eli hadn't expected to see.

She gasped, and took a step away from them, her eyes wide while she shook her head. _NO!!! It can't be!!!_

*      *      *

Aragorn's eyes widened when he saw whom Eli would be facing. "Elladan and Elrohir?! How could they have gotten here so swiftly?!"

He watched as Eli stepped away from the twin sons of Elrond, her eyes filled with shock. He could hear her voice as she spoke, "What sort of sick joke is this, Byakko?! What are Elladan and Elrohir doing here?!?!?!"

Aragorn could not hear the Spirit's response, but it must not have been a favorable answer. In the meantime, Elladan and Elrohir drew their swords, and were slowly coming towards Eli.

_No! They would not do that!!! Elladan and Elrohir…no, not to Eli! This is impossible!!!_ He turned to Gandalf then. "Gandalf, is there nothing we can do to stop this?!?!?! I do not know how the sons of Elrond arrived here without our knowing…but they MUST be bewitched! None of them would attack Eli!"

But Gandalf was silent. He simply stared at the scene unfolding before them all. The rest of the Fellowship was watching the event with grim silence. "There is nothing we can do, Aragorn. This is a test for Elisabeth, and I can see what makes it so difficult. She is torn between defending herself from the attacks that Elladan and Elrohir will launch, and the fact that she does not wish to harm them, that they are the last people she would want to hurt."

Aragorn clutched his hands into fists, attempting to contain his worry and rage at what was happening now before him. He gazed on as Eli parried the attack that Elrohir sent her way, and parried again when Elladan attempted to smite her with his blade.

He could hear her pleading cries, sometimes speaking in Westron, and at times, Elvish. "Please Elladan, Elrohir, wake up! Can't you see?! It's me, Elisabeth, or Eli! Don't you remember me?! Come on, snap out of it!!" ^Elladan, PLEASE!!!! Elrohir, wake up, I beg you! I do not want to fight you!!!!!!^

*      *      *

They would not stop. They kept coming at her, while Eli did her best to avoid them, trying to parry their attacks or at least hide behind a pillar to avoid getting caught. 

But it was starting to wear her down. She did not have the endurance of an Elven warrior, though her skill was parallel to one. Panting, she collapsed in the middle of the arena, barely hanging onto her sword. She closed her eyes, and shook her head. _I can't hold out for much longer. I can't hold them back anymore…_ She looked up only when she felt the cold steel of their swords touch her neck.

For the first time in a long, long while, she felt tears starting to creep down her cheeks. She looked at them in the eye, whispering in Elvish, ^Please, Elladan, Elrohir, please wake up! I-I cannot stop you any longer! Do you wish me to die?^ She clutched her sword convulsively. ^Please, do not force me to do something I will regret…^

"What thou shall regret…shall thou regret killing these two?"

Eli gritted her teeth. "Shut up Byakko." She pulled herself to her feet, stepping back a few paces as she held her sword out, ready to defend. 

"What shall thou do, Fair One? Shall thou smite these two and lay them dead at thy feet? Or shall thou allow them to slay thee?"

Eli winced, shaking her head, her whole body trembling. "No, I don't want to choose… I do not want to kill them…not them, of all the people in the world…no, not them…"

"Choose. Thy life? Or theirs? Quite a simple choice, if thou shall think about it carefully."

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?!?!" Eli screamed. "I love them!!! I cannot kill someone I love!"

Byakko's voice was taunting. "Ah, so thou love both then?! Well, that cannot be! Thou must choose one or the other. I have a new proposal…thou must slay one, and let the other live. Surely thou will choose the one thou cares least for?"

Eli shook her head defiantly. "NO, I would never do that!!! How many times do I have to repeat it?!?! I care for the BOTH of them, and to be forced to kill one and let the other live would be too difficult!!" She sank to her knees, her tears coming down like a waterfall, as she loosed her sword from her hand, and covered her eyes with her palms. "No, I cannot – I will not do it!!! I would rather die than see them hurt!!!"

Byakko laughed then, and he said, "Thou art indeed pure of heart, Fair One!" And then, almost immediately, Elladan and Elrohir disappeared as though they were just phantoms.

Eli gaped. "What the HELL was that?!?!"

"Oh, 'twas only an illusion. I created them from the fears I read in thy heart, and that, perhaps, was thy greatest fear: to be torn between two whom thy cared about the most. But if thou art not careful, thou may find thyself trapped in such a situation.

"However, that is all I wish to know of thee. Thou hast shown to me thy true courage and strength, as well as the purity of thine heart. Thou hast earned my respect. Now I shall turn thee over to Seiryuu for thy final test. Fare thee well, and good luck to thee!"

In the blink of an eye, the room disappeared from Eli's sight, and she felt herself floating in that deep dark space where she had begun.

*      *      *

Camille hated being in the dark again. The first time wasn't so bad, because she was still kind of "drugged", or so she liked to think. But that previous test woke her up and made her nerves jittery. _Aragorn was right,_ she thought. _I shouldn't take these tests lightly._

"Welcome, Fair One."

Camille snapped to attention. "Who's that?"

The voice was a little like Genbu's, but not as deep and more melodious. "I am Suzako, God of the South. And thou must be Camille Selvitar, of the House of the Golden Phoenix, art thou not?"

"Yeah, I'm from the House of the Golden Phoenix." Camille paused, then asked, "What do you know about it?"

Suzako's voice was hushed, almost reverent. "One of thy ancestors was my consort. Of course, I doubt if the history of thy clan would remember such a thing…but it is true. Her name was Jin Feng…a name that the inheritors of thy brooch still carry in her honor, and the name of thy clan."

Camille couldn't help but snicker. "Oh sure, GREAT new addition to my knowledge of my family's history. That one of my ancestors was – IS – a god! Oh yeah, I can almost imagine having to rewrite the books!"

"Thou should not make a laughing matter of a fact," Suzako said again, but his voice was still gentle and calm. "But there are other matters to tend to. Shall thou take thy trial now?"

Camille sighed, and nodded. "Okay, let's go." 

The darkness swirled around her, and light formed again. Gravity pulled her downwards, and she felt a floor beneath her feet again. The light around her brightened, and she found herself standing in a room painted in red, with brilliant highlights of gold everywhere. She looked around. "What should I do?"

"Patience, Fair One. Thou shall see, eventually. Now, look at what lies at thy feet."

Camille looked down, and gasped with amazement and awe. _Holy…_ At her feet lay an exquisite bow and a quiver with one red-fletched arrow. The bow was made of a wood that seemed naturally crimson in color, and was decorated in gold to look like the wings of a phoenix. Rubies were placed in strategic points all over it, making it glimmer brightly in the firelight around her. The quiver was made of leather, but was also adorned with gold, showing a phoenix perched upon a rock with wings outspread. The arrow was light and perfectly balanced, the shaft decked with gold swirls like that of flame, and the arrowhead made of cold glimmering steel that would go through anything.

She lifted the bow, and was amazed by how light it felt, in spite of all the gold it had. "Beautiful…"

Suzako chuckled. "Yes, is it not? Now then, I assume that thy knowledge of handling a bow is good?"

"You bet. I was taught by the best," Camille replied with a smirk, remembering the days when she and Legolas would go out everyday to practice archery.

"Very well then. Thy test is simple. I only wish that thou hit the target I shall show thee. Is this within thy skill?"

Camille nodded as she hefted the bow. "With a bow as good as this, I don't think I could miss ANY target."

"Good." The darkness lifted from the other end of the room, revealing a figure standing there. "This is thy target."

And Camille uttered a loud, horrified gasp when she saw what Suzako wanted her to hit. "No…it can't be…"

*      *      *

Frodo's eyes widened disbelievingly when he saw Legolas standing in the chamber with Camille. "Legolas?! What…why…" He knew that Legolas had been taken previously, right after the trial of Eli, but he hadn't expected for HIM to show up like that! He did not seem fettered or chained, but some invisible force seemed to be holding him in that position, not allowing him to stray from it.

The anguish in Camille's voice was detectable, and it tore at his heart to see such a fair young maiden have to go through such a terrible ordeal. "WHY, SUZAKO?!?!?! Why must you make me do this?!?!"

Frodo could not hear the Spirit's voice, but he knew that the answer was not good. His heart went out to the poor girl, and for the first time since he had met her, she looked very vulnerable and fragile. _Has such vulnerability lain within her all this time? _

The Fellowship shifted uneasily. The Legolas whom Camille was forced to shoot was no illusion, and it worried them terribly. On one hand, they didn't want to see Legolas die, but on the other, they needed the help of the Spirits in destroying the Ring. And Camille would not get that if she didn't shoot Legolas.

Frodo bit his lip, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene before him. _Camille…Legolas…please make it out alive…_

*      *      *

Legolas gritted his teeth as he stared at Camille from where he stood. He had free movement of his body, but a certain barrier surrounded him that kept him from getting closer to Camille…, which he wanted to do, desperately.

He hated seeing her the way she was right now. She had kept a strong front for the most part before they came here, and he had to admit, that strong front gave him comfort and hope that what they were doing was not in vain, and that everything would be resolved in the end. 

But now the façade was torn from her, and what was left was an image that was the exact opposite of what he had known about her. She seemed frail and weak, and her tears coursed down her face like a cascade of raindrops. The only thing he wanted to do at that moment was take her in his arms and hold her tight, whispering to her that everything would be all right, that he would protect her from all the evils in the world if he had to…

He watched now as she lifted the bow. It was beautifully made, and seemed well balanced. She was crying, he saw, as she nocked an arrow, and pointed it at him.

Legolas knew immediately what the Spirit had asked her to do for her trial. _She must shoot me. If she wishes to gain the power of the Spirit, she must slay me._ For some odd reason, he wasn't afraid of dying. He didn't mind at all…if the arrow that would bring his doom was shot from her hand. 

He called out to her then. "The Quest is more important, Camille; do not hesitate!" He smiled bitterly. ^I would rather die by your hand, Eriol, than be slain by the foul arrow of an Orc, or by the Evil One in Mordor. I love you.^

Camille's hand jerked at his words, and he knew that she was hesitating. But she knew as well as he did that the Quest was more important. After a while, she seemed to have found her will. She gripped the bow so tightly that her knuckles were white, and she nocked the arrow again. It trembled slightly with her hand as she drew the bowstring back, and aimed.

Legolas closed his eyes, and heard the bow twang. _This is the end for me. I only wish that I could have kissed my beloved once before this was all over… _He waited for the pain in his heart that would signify his end. 

And waited…

And waited…

Legolas opened his eyes, surprised that he wasn't dead yet. _I thought that she had aimed at me…_ There was no way she could miss at her distance – he had taught her too well - and the arrow had been trained at his heart. So how could she…

Camille was collapsed on the floor, her head in her hands. "I CAN'T DO IT!!!" she screamed. "I cannot kill the one I love!!!"

Legolas' heart was warmed instantly by those words, but he had no time. Darkness enveloped him again, and when it lifted, he was standing amongst the Fellowship once more.

They crowded around him, glad to see that he was safe. Even Gimli seemed happy to have him back. He blinked, surprised. "What happened?"

Gandalf chuckled, and patted him on the shoulder. "It seems that you survived that, Legolas. Though it was by a very narrow margin."

Pippin nodded, his Hobbit eyes wide in the semi-darkness. "I really thought she was going to kill you, I did! But she aimed the arrow just past you! Didn't it nick your arm?"

_Did it?_ Legolas checked his arms, and sure enough, his right sleeve was ripped where the arrowhead zipped past, but there was no wound.

In the meantime, Aragorn was staring at the other mirror, watching with a strange impassive gaze that told Legolas something was wrong. "Aragorn, what is the matter?"

The Dunadan heaved a heavy sigh, and nodded towards the mirror that showed whatever went on with Eli. "She is in trouble." The tone in which the Man spoke told Legolas that he was sorely worried. _Not quite a surprise, given that he considers Eli to be the younger sister he never had…_ But since he thought it best to know what was going on, he looked into the mirror, and couldn't help uttering a loud gasp.

Eli was standing in the middle of a room painted in an icy blue, with a bit of silver here and there for decoration. She was stripped of almost all her clothing, save for a soft sleeveless chemise that barely touched the midpoint of her thighs. As Legolas' gaze drifted lower to the girl's feet, he realized something horrid. Ice was beginning to form around her ankles, and it encrusted them in a thick layer of crystalline frost that gradually inched its way up her body.

"What is happening to her?!" Legolas managed to whisper, his shock too great to allow for a cry of dismay. "She is freezing!"

Gandalf nodded. "And that is her test. She must break free from the ice before it completely encases her, or it shall be her tomb for eternity."

"Is there nothing we can do?!" Boromir demanded. Apparently he had seen the young girls go through enough torture. "Gandalf, can you not break through this mirror and save her?! She shall die!"

Aragorn shook his head in negation. "It is beyond Gandalf's power to go to them. The Spirits will hold us back if we ever try. You remember what happened to Gimli, do you not? Though I know that Gandalf is indeed one of the most powerful of his kind, he cannot defy these Spirits in their own Sanctuary."

Legolas watched as the Gondorian turned away from the scene before him, and muttered something in his own tongue. _He feels worried for their safety,_ he thought, slightly amused. _And to think that he would not believe them during the Council._

The girl in the mirror uttered a scream, and Legolas whirled around to look. The ice had finally climbed up over Eli's body, and had covered her head. She stood now like a statue carven out of ice from the deep mountains, unmoving and cold.

Gimli spoke up then. "Is it over for her?"

For a while, no one, not even Legolas, had an answer to that. Though part of their hearts said that she was gone, but another said that they yet had to hope.

Suddenly, Gandalf cried, "Look!"

Legolas returned his focus to the mirror, and gaped at what he saw. A bright light was shining from Eli's form deep within the ice, and in moments, the frost shattered into a million pieces as though it were glass, freeing her from its confines. She fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

Almost instantly, a flash of light blinded them all temporarily, and then, in the middle of their circle, they found the two girls, with Eli fully clothed, thankfully.

Legolas immediately knelt down at Camille's side, cradling her in his arms. ^Awake, Eriol, awake!^ He shook her a little to help in rousing her from her stupor.

The girl groaned in his arms, and pushed herself up slightly. "Ugh…that was HORRIBLE…I don't want to do that again anytime soon…"

"Ditto," Eli mumbled from where she sat in Aragorn's arms. She was wrapped thickly in the Ranger's cloak, for her entrapment in the ice had made her temperature drop drastically, and she had to be kept warm, else she would fall ill.

Legolas smiled down at Camille, holding her close to him. ^Hush, fair one, we shall leave here soon…^

"But not before we have given our blessings."

Legolas looked up the moment the voice spoke, and beheld a sight that remained engraved in his memory for the rest of his immortal life. Four magnificent beings stood before them, each clad in strange clothing. They were all male, but had different features. One was clad in green armor with a black serpent upon it; another wore blue armor with a helm in the form of a dragon; another had red armor decked with golden feathers; and the last was clad in white armor painted with black stripes. Their forms radiated a light that seemed to tell of the power they held within, a power that was subdued and yet palpable still.

The one in red smiled down at the two girls. "Thou hast passed our trials, and thou hast earned our respect. Never have we seen two as brave as thee, and as wise as thee. Middle-Earth is indeed blessed to have thee here."

Then the one in blue spoke. "Thou hast proven thy worth, and we shall now fulfill our part of the bargain." He held his hand out, beckoning. "Rise, Summoners of the Four Spirits of Middle-Earth. Receive thy promised strength."

Camille and Eli were pulled upwards by some unknown force, and they stood almost upright in the middle of a violent storm of light. The Fellowship looked on as spheres of red and green pulsated around Camille, and sparks of blue and white swirled around Eli. The lights slowly condensed into their bodies, and as they did so, a strange mark appeared upon their brows. It was in the writing that Camille called kanji, and it had appeared many times before upon the doors. She had translated it as the word 'priestess'.

At long last, the lights disappeared, and the girls were lowered to their feet upon the floor. They were groggy and weak in the knees, but overall they were all right.

As Legolas slipped his arm around Camille to help her walk, Gandalf smiled at the two of them. "At long last part of the Prophecy is fulfilled." He bowed to them. "Part of the hope of Middle-Earth lies within you now…Summoners of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, that was kind of crappy. I know, I know, this chapter is very long. I had wanted to make two chapters out of it, but I didn't know where to do the splitting. And the puzzle I got from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K Rowling. Yeah, I'm an HP fan too grins. ANYWAY, on to the next chapter (I hope none of you are getting tired yet…)! The Fellowship travels down to Moria, their only way of getting through to Dimrill Dale. What will happen to them while they're there? And how will our fledgling Summoners get on with their new powers? Just read to find out! Ja ne!!


	21. Chapter Twenty: Boromir's Despair

Chapter Twenty: Boromir's Despair 

Boromir kept a close eye over the two young ladies, both of whom were currently lying in a deep slumber beside the fire. Beside them lay their packs, and just a little further away were their weapons.

He looked at the swords with awe and something akin to reverence. When he had first seen the blades, he had considered them to be only extra-long knives since they were much too thin to be considered proper swords, but after watching the ladies wield them in battle, he was more than convinced. 

_I have never seen such a mode of battle before, _he thought, remembering the mock-battle that had been staged at the top of the hill in Hollin. He had been dazzled by the speed and agility that the girls possessed. _They may have lacked power and strength, but their speed has more than compensated for it._

Boromir had spent most of his childhood learning how to fight. He was, after all, the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor, and as such, he was expected to know how to fight well. He was considered to be one of the best swordsmen in Gondor, and many feared to face him in battle, for he was a fierce opponent.

But his perspective about his skill had changed after watching that duel. He had thought that the girls only knew a few tricks with a knife and nothing more, but the way they moved showed years upon years of rigid and disciplined training. He had to admit, if they were to fight side-by-side with him, their grace would certainly make him look like a clumsy fool.

Boromir chuckled softly when he looked across the fire at Aragorn, who was currently deep in conversation with Gandalf. _Perhaps even Aragorn would be put to shame. Anduril may be a mighty weapon in his hands, but next to the young maidens it would seem nothing more than an ordinary blade. _

His face softened slightly when his thoughts drifted to Camille. She was a very beautiful girl, and carried herself like a woman, though she was only a girl of seventeen. She radiated a warmth, a fire of joy and cheerfulness that he found infectious. And he realized that he had become dependent on her vivacity to block out the lure of the Ring. Whenever the temptation of the Ring became too strong, he would strike up a conversation with her, and for a time, the Ring would be banished completely from his mind.

_But I am in a losing battle here, _Boromir thought with a sigh. For he knew that the Elf-Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas, was pursuing the young maiden, and what did he stand in the face of such competition? Though he may have been the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor, he was but a mortal, and a mortal does not compete with Elves. Especially an Elf who was a member of the Fellowship as well as the heir to the Kingdom of Mirkwood AND had the favor of all those around him. He would have to content himself with loving her from a distance, being discreet with his affection and wishing for her happiness. 

He shook his head, determination creeping over his features. _She has not accepted his love yet. I may yet have a chance. I only have to be careful with my affections for her, not to be abrupt with her._ A memory drifted through his head then…

~      ~      ~

"What are you doing here, Boromir?"

Boromir looked up from where he had been walking along the paths, and his eye immediately fell upon the Lady Camille Selvitar. He bowed to her slowly, not wishing for a confrontation. "Good afternoon, My Lady."

She tilted her head slowly to one side, an errant lock of her reddish-brown hair falling over one dark brown eye. She smirked slightly at him then. "You know, looking at you right now gives me a sudden urge to hurl you over the balcony and into the waterfall."

Catching the hint of a jesting tone in her voice, Boromir dared to jest her back. He straightened up, smiling slightly. "Surely you will not be able to do that, My Lady."

"You're right," she replied thoughtfully, then shrugged. "Oh well, looks like I'm just going to have to lure you to the top of the waterfall and push you off from there. And if Elrond goes looking, I can always say I just wanted to show you the view and say that you slipped…"

"I do not think you will do that to someone who is a member of the Fellowship."

Camille grinned evilly. "You want to try me?"

Now Boromir laughed. "Ah, you are much too clever to be outwitted!" He smiled at her then, trying to appeal to her good side for once. _After all, I have too often seen her in a foul mood…I do not want to hear more death threats today… _"You are quite a pleasing conversationalist, if a little mordant in humor."

She smiled brilliantly then, and for a while, Boromir's breath caught in his throat because of her beauty. "Hah, if I'm sarcastic, you should talk to Eli. She's worse than I am when it comes to having a very ironic humor."

"But the Lady Eli is not here, so I suppose I must put up with you, then." He approached her, his keen eyes watching her for any signs of flight – or a possible attack – but finding none, he relaxed, and stood before her. "As I have said, I am rather enjoying this conversation with you today. Too few are the women in Gondor who can talk as wittily as you can. You are a pleasant change from the ordinary."

"Well, that's me, anything BUT ordinary," Camille answered with a grin. "I'm so out-of-the-ordinary that people call me a freak!"

Boromir laughed again, and spent the rest of the afternoon with her, talking about almost anything that their conversation could touch on. And when she left him, he felt an emptiness in his heart, and wondered what it meant.

~      ~      ~

A soft yawn was heard, and Camille sat up, slowly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Whoa, that was some dream…" She placed her hands at the small of her back, and pushed, her bones making a cracking sound as she slowly stretched out her muscles like a cat. "I dreamt that Eli and I got to meet the Four Gods."

"I would not consider that a mere dream, Camille," Boromir said as he pointed at the weapons that lay nearby.

Camille followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped wide open. "Holy…" She crawled over to the bow, and picked it up, slowly running her fingers over the wood and the gold. "This CANNOT be real…"

Legolas appeared at her side then, and smiled at her. "It is real, Camille. You passed the trials. You and Eli are the Summoners now."

"Trials?" The girl's face paled all of a sudden as she gazed at the Elf. "Then that means that I nearly-"

Legolas smiled at her then, and there was something in his smile that said he knew what she meant, and that he was not angry with her for what she did.

Boromir noticed that Camille's bottom lip had begun to tremble in a rather childish, and yet, endearing manner. _For all her strength, intelligence and wisdom, she is but a child of seventeen. No, not quite a child, but not a woman yet._

In the meantime, Eli had awoken, and had spoken almost the same words as Camille had. But the moment she saw her sword, she realized that what had transpired was no mere dream. Boromir gazed at her as she drew the sword out of the sheath, the metal singing in the cold night air. The blade gleamed brilliantly in the light from the moon, stars and fire; red and pale silver dancing over the image of a dragon that was engraved into the blade itself.

"It is a fine blade," Aragorn said then, for he and Gandalf had paused in their conversation momentarily to look as the young girls awakened from their slumber. 

"Yes, you're right," Eli whispered as she returned the blade to its scabbard. "The last time I got to handle a blade this good was when my father passed on the Sakabattou to me."

Boromir raised an eyebrow. "The Sakabattou?" After that rather fatal mistake during the Council, he had come to accept the fact that these girls were indeed from another world. He hadn't heard a lot about it, save for that discussion about holidays several nights ago, and he was eager to learn more about it.

"The Sakabattou, or Sakaba, as we sometimes call it, is a very special heirloom in my family," Eli explained. "It's a katana – the kind of sword I use – but a very special one. The Sakaba, unlike this sword I have with me, is sharpened on the wrong edge." She pointed to the outer curve of her blade. "On the Sakaba, this part is not sharpened. Rather, the opposite side is. As you can probably tell, the only way anyone can kill with that kind of sword would be to reverse it; in such a case, it would be a very tricky thing to handle."

"Then why sharpen the wrong side of the blade at all?" Gimli asked. "Is it not a waste of time and effort?"

Eli smiled slightly. "Because the Sakaba wasn't meant to kill. It is a symbol stating that all conflicts and differences should be solved without bloodshed. However, since in the quest for the greater good killing cannot be avoided, then blood must be spilled. My ancestors believed that a sword and the art that uses it is not a weapon for destruction; rather, it is a tool for carving out peace and harmony for all."

Gandalf smiled. "It is a good philosophy, my dear, and I am glad to see that you and Camille carry it in your words and actions." He sighed deeply. "If only all problems could be solved as easily."

Suddenly, Legolas jumped to his feet, his eyes scanning the area around them. "But I believe we must put aside that viewpoint for now, my friends. The wind tells me that we are not welcome here."

Boromir looked up, and listened, cringing slightly when he heard the news the wind brought. There was howling all around them, and in the distance, several eyes glowed back at them. "Wolves."

Aragorn leapt to his feet. "How the wind howls! It is howling with wolf voices. The Wargs have come West of the mountains!"

"Need we wait until morning, then?" said Gandalf. "It is as I said; the hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn, who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?"

Boromir cursed to himself. _It seems that there is no other way. _"How far is Moria?"

"There was a door southwest of Caradhras, some fifteen miles as the crow flies, and maybe twenty as the wolf runs," answered Gandalf grimly.

"Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can," Boromir said, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword. "The wolf that one hears is worse than the Orc that one fears."

"True," said Aragorn, loosening Anduril from its sheath. "But where the Warg howls, there also the Orc prowls."

*      *      *

Camille sat up from her little sleeping patch on the ground, and sighed. _There is NO WAY I'm going to be able to get any decent sleep tonight, not with all this talk about wolves and Wargs and whatnot. _Deciding with finality that there was no use forcing herself to sleep, she picked up her bow, attached her kodachi to her belt, and walked over to Gandalf, Aragorn, and Boromir. The Elf was nowhere in sight, as he was in charge of the watch that night, but the three others probably couldn't sleep, not with the possibility of a Warg attack. 

Gandalf looked at her as she was approaching, and grinned at her, his eyes twinkling from beneath his bushy gray eyebrows. "You could not sleep, could you?"

"No, not after that wonderful report I heard a while ago about wolves and Wargs and Orcs hunting us around," Camille muttered as she plopped down in the space between Aragorn and the Wizard.

Aragorn chuckled as he gently nudged her in the ribs, poking the fire with a stick so that it flared more brightly and gave added warmth. "Forgive us if what we spoke about will deprive you of sleep. You and Eli need it the most, I deem."

Camille shrugged. "I'll be okay." She nodded towards Eli, smirking. "That girl sleeps like a log under any circumstances. Won't wake up until the building's set on fire. Of course, if anyone even TRIED to wake her up outside of an emergency, then there'll be hell to pay."

Those who were listening laughed at her joke, their minds momentarily taken off of the trouble they had to face. "Would that perhaps be the reason why you and Eli were so disagreeable on the morning of the Council?" Boromir asked.

"Yeah, partially because we aren't morning persons and partially because we had terrible hangovers after the feast the night before, but mostly because we felt insulted because you basically called us liars," Camille said innocently.

The Gondorian blushed, and ducked his head. "I hope you will forgive me, Camille. I did not mean to insult you then. I was merely taken by surprise by your appearance at the Council."

But Camille didn't hear him say that, because as he was talking, Legolas approached them from his post, his face grim and his hand gripping his bow tightly. "They have come."

Suddenly a storm of howls rose broke out fierce and wild all about the camp. A great host of Wargs had gathered silently and was now attacking them from all sides at once.

"Fling fuel on the fire!" Gandalf cried to the Hobbits, most of who were startled out of their sleep by the wolf howls. The Wizard turned to the rest of the Fellowship as they began to move closer to the fire. "Draw your weapons, and stand back to back!"

Camille pulled an arrow from her quiver, and readied it in her bow, aiming it towards the gloom. 

Eli stood beside her, her sword drawn. "What in the pits of hell is so important that I have to give up my beauty sleep?"

"Wargs," Camille muttered in reply. In the light of the fire, she saw several gray shapes coming towards them in an almost endless wave. She shot down the first one that got too close, her bow twanging loudly. Another twang sounded, and when she looked, she noticed that Legolas was shooting as well.

While the two of them took out as many as they could with their long-range weapons, the others used their blades to slaughter any that got too close. Aragorn thrust his sword into the throat of a particularly huge Warg; Boromir chopped the head off another. Gimli swung his axe, and sliced right through two. The Hobbits worked as one, keeping as many away as they could. Gandalf knocked back the rest with his staff and an occasional bolt of magic.

But there were just too many, and Camille was getting tired. _What are we going to do?!_ A sudden flare of energy coursed through her veins, and in a flash of insight, she knew what she had to do.

She stepped away slightly from the rest of the Company, though most of them – Legolas in particular – called her back to the safety of their circle. But she didn't pay them heed. _This is something I can do, and no one else can. _She eyed the Wargs with a haughty gaze, and spoke. "What are you Wargs in the face of one who helped to create this entire world, who helped to create your kind? Your ferocity means nothing to me. You may howl your most fearsome howl, you may bare your teeth to me, but they shall still mean nothing. You are nothing to me."

The Wargs paused for a while in their assault, and eyed her warily. But then, one of their leaders howled, loud and bone chilling. Even Gandalf had to shudder when he heard it. But it did nothing to Camille. In fact, it only served to heighten her anger. She raised her hand slowly, not noticing that a symbol had flared to life on her brow. "Feel the wrath of a Summoner. FIRE CIRCLE!"

The flames in the fire pit leaped to life, jumping sky-high. Camille felt energy course from her veins and into the air around her. In moments, a large circle of fire had been drawn on the ground around the Fellowship, and any Wargs that happened to be standing inside it were immediately burnt to ashes. Not wasting any time, Camille concentrated more, and the circle suddenly opened farther out, blasting a wave of flame into all the Wargs within a five-mile proximity of their camp. Needless to say, the night air was filled with the screams of dying Wargs, and the stench as their bodies burned made her eyes water. Whatever Wargs remained alive had most likely fled.

When everything had finally calmed down somewhat, Camille sighed, and lowered her hand, feeling quite tired all of a sudden. _That was rather exhausting._

But she didn't have a lot of time to herself, for almost immediately the Hobbits were around her, leading her back to the now normal-looking campfire and begging her to tell them what in the world she did.

"I've never seen Gandalf do anything like that, not even with his fireworks!" Pippin exclaimed as Camille sat down with a tired sigh.

Camille looked up at the Hobbit, just barely managing a smile. "I don't really know HOW I did it, Pip. I just sort of…knew that I could. The words just came out of my mouth, and then it happened. Pretty good timing, actually."

Merry looked at her with awe. "You have quite a lot of courage to go walking up to a Warg the way you did! I almost thought you were done for!"

"And that light…you were literally glowing, Miss Camille!" cried Sam. "You were sending out a bright red light that looked like fire!"

Frodo smiled at her. "I saw a symbol on your forehead, Camille. And there were characters on the ground when you cast the spell that killed the Wargs."

Eli answered for her then, sensing that her best friend was too tired to make a reply. "I think we've just seen the power of Suzako, Master of the Flame. The symbol on her forehead read 'Phoenix', because she was using the power of Suzako, the Crimson Phoenix." She grinned at Camille then. "Pretty cool spell, if I do say so myself. Next time, it'll be my turn, okay?"

Camille laughed at Eli's remark. "It's all yours, Eli. I think I'm too tired to do any more spell-casting for quite some time." 

*      *      *

Night lay thick and heavy over the little camp. The fire had burned down low, and most of the Fellowship was asleep. The only ones left awake were Boromir and Gandalf.

Boromir looked out into the distance, his fingers playing along the hilt of his sword in restlessness. More than once did his eyes settle on Frodo, but when he realized this, he would sharply avert his gaze to the sleeping Camille, and a smile would reveal itself on his face, and he was not as restless as before.

It was then that Gandalf chose to speak. "Boromir of Gondor, she was not meant for you."

Boromir sighed heavily, and nodded. "Perhaps, Gandalf, but can I not keep this hope burning within me for just a while longer? She has not yet accepted the love of the Elf Prince, has she? He is still courting her. I may yet have a chance."

"You do realize that you are much older than she is," said Gandalf. "I already know what Legolas has seen in her, though he is more than two thousand years her senior." He focused his piercing eyes on the heir of the Steward of Gondor. "What do you see in her, a mere child of seventeen, that draws you to her?"

Boromir smiled, and looked upon the softly twinkling stars. "It is…her merriment, I suppose. And her intelligence, the strength that lies within her though she may conceal it. She would make a good Queen." He smiled more broadly then, as visions danced before his mind's eye. "Aye, indeed, she would make a fair Lady of Gondor, with the beauty to befit the title and the mettle and wisdom to lead a nation of Men. If she were to become the Lady of the White Tower, then Gondor will become strengthened by her wisdom and will falter no longer." 

Gandalf nodded. "She and Eli are fair, 'fairer than any yet to be seen', as the prophecy said. And they would indeed make good leaders – that I find true, without a doubt – but I feel that their destiny lies elsewhere. Camille's destiny does not lie with yours."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Uh yeah, that's done. Once again, this is another rather pointless chapter (like Chapter Fifteen: Christmas on the Road), but I really plan to follow the books this time, and in the book, the Fellowship gets attacked by Wargs just as they are making camp after their ordeal on Caradhras. This made for the perfect opportunity to show off one of the girls' powers. Oh yeah, and I stole the Sakabattou (Sakaba for short) from the anime Rurouni Kenshin. And, hmmm…seems like Boromir hidden feelings for Camille! Do I smell another love triangle in the air?!?! ANYWAY, on to the next chapter! The Fellowship has decided to go through Moria, but getting there isn't going to be easy. See what happens in the next chapter! Ja!


	22. Chapter Twenty-one: The Gates of Moria

Chapter Twenty-One: The Gates of Moria 

Eli trudged down the path that wound its way around the lake, or, put more accurately, what was once the Sirannon Stream. On their way up from their campsite the previous night, Gandalf had been looking for Sirannon, which was supposed to have been a rather noisy little brook that led to the Gates of Moria. But the riverbed had been dry. Nonetheless, they pushed on, and finally found out why the Sirannon had dried up. It had been dammed, filling the little valley that stood before the Gates of Moria. As of the moment, they were walking round the northern edge to make their way towards where the Gates were located.

Eli took one look at the water, and immediately decided that there was no way she was going to stick so much as the toe of her boot in there, much less swim. _The water looks worse than the polluted rivers back home, _she thought. _At least I know that there aren't any freaky mutants growing in the muck; but this is different. There's something in there, and whatever it is, its main diet is probably anything and everything that walks, talks and acts on its own will._

Ahead of them was a narrow creek that fed the waters of the lake, and Eli didn't like the looks of it either. The water was green, and looked like it stank horribly. She fell back a little so that she and Camille were walking side-by-side. 

"I don't like the look of the water. The rivers back home were bad enough, but THIS is too much," muttered the auburn-haired girl.

"I know what you mean," Eli whispered, casting a glance at the darkening waters of the lake. "The water is not pure; it's been polluted. Not by trash or garbage, but by something else, something far more evil than that." She raised her voice a little more as Aragorn and Legolas came to walk beside them. "It's like the Sirannon was used to clean out the very pits of Hell itself. There's something evil lurking at the bottom of that lake, and I don't want to disturb it unless it comes for me by itself."

Aragorn nodded, his face grim. "I find myself agreeing with you, Eli. No one here knows what lies slumbering at the bottom of that foul dam, and it would be best for all of us not to wake it."

"But at least we are prepared for any eventualities," Legolas muttered, and he put a hand to his bow, and another to his knife. Meanwhile, Aragorn's hand strayed to the hilt of his sword, and Camille's hand imitated that gesture, unconsciously drifting to her bow.

Eli had to smile a little as her gaze drifted over to Camille's new-and-improved kodachi. They were more or less still the same Elven-blades that had been wrought by the Elven-smiths of Rivendell, but they had been infused with the power of the Spirits, and were more powerful than ever before. The scabbards were no longer wood, but bright gleaming silver shaped like serpents, inlaid with brilliant emeralds. The blades were the same, but now they were each etched with a snake running from the hilt all the way to the tip. Also, there were now tassels of bright green silk that dangled from the end of the hilts.

They had now come to the edge of the creek. Gimli was the first to cross, and they realized that the water was only ankle-deep. The rest of the Fellowship crossed it, though it seemed that none of them liked it, the Hobbits least of all, since they had to go through the icky water barefoot. Eli crossed over the stream, taking care lest she lost her balance, as the stones beneath were slimy and very slippery.

PLOP!!!!

Eli whirled to the lake, her now adrenaline-sensitized hearing picking up the sound of something bubbling up from the bottom of the lake. She looked, and noticed ripples slowly forming from the center of the lake, increasing in size as they reached the shore, lapping at the banks. High above them, the sun finally disappeared behind the mountains, and evening fell over the land.

Gandalf was now in a terrible hurry, and the rest of them had to catch up to him as quickly as they could. Not that it was easy. The terrain was littered with rocks and boulders, and getting around them was no easy feat. Gimli, being the Dwarf that he was, had no problems; and Legolas could easily leap over the stones without much trouble. But the Hobbits, Boromir and Aragorn were another story. While the two Men didn't need much help, Eli found herself stopping every once in a while to help one of the Halflings get on their feet again after tripping or slipping. She looked over at Camille, and noticed that her dear best friend was in the same predicament, tending to Pippin and Merry while Eli handled Frodo and Sam.

At long last, after much scrambling over rocks, the Fellowship reached the place Gandalf had been aiming for. It was a section of the cliffs where two huge holly trees grew, spreading their leaves upwards towards the now dark sky.

"Well, here we are at last!" declared Gandalf. He pointed to the space of cliff between the two trees. "Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different races, even between Dwarves and Elves."

"It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned," said Gimli.

"I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves," Legolas retorted.

Knowing full well where this was going, Eli decided to speak up before all hell broke loose. "Alright you two, could you PLEASE quit it? This is the worst time for such an argument. Argue all you want about it later, when the Ring has been unmade." She sighed as she watched the Elf and the Dwarf glare at each other with hatred so intense that she could almost see sparks shoot between them. _These two are going to be the death of me. _

Camille approached Gandalf then. "What're we going to do now, Gandalf? I don't see any gates or doors anywhere nearby. How are we going to go into Moria if there is no entrance?"

Gandalf smiled at her. "I understand your curiosity my dear, for you most likely do not have such things where you are from. The Gates of Moria are hidden now, and shut tightly. We must find them quickly, for night is at hand!" He glanced at the others, and said, "While I am searching, I believe that it would be best for each of you to make ready to enter the Mines. And I fear that we must now bid farewell to our good beast of burden. Lay aside all the things you brought against cold weather, for we shall not need them in the Mines, and, hopefully, when we go to the South, where the climes are warmer. Each of us must take a share of what the pony carried, especially the food and water-skins."

A cry rose from Sam. "Do we really have to, Gandalf?! We CAN'T let Bill go, not with all these Wargs around!"

"Don't worry Sam, Bill will be okay," Eli soothed as she gave the Hobbit a reassuring touch on the shoulder. "Bill's a smart pony; he'll be able to make it out of here by himself. And besides, Camille got rid of most of the Wargs during our last camp, remember? They won't be bothering anyone or anything that used to go along with us, not for quite a while. Maybe during that time, Bill will be able to make it all the way to Rivendell."

The Hobbit she had been talking to fell silent, his head bowed. He obviously didn't like the idea of sending Bill off alone like that. But it had to be done. He heaved a sigh. "I suppose you are right."

Eli grinned. "He'll be fine." She approached the pony, and started to unload the goods on its back. Soon, she was being helped by Camille, then Boromir and Aragorn, and lastly by Sam himself.

When finally they had unloaded everything, they started to sort everything into different piles, assigning who would bring what and how much. Like Eli expected, she and Camille were going to carry the least burdens, but perhaps the most important: the water-skins. _A man can live without food for a week or more, as long as there is water to drink, _Eli thought, remembering that little tidbit of trivia. She glanced over at Gimli and Legolas, who were with Gandalf at that time. The Dwarf was tapping the rock between the trees with his axe, while Legolas had his ear pressed against it, as if listening for something on the other side. _But I wonder if that goes the same for Dwarves and Elves? _Since Legolas was an Elf, and thus, immortal, he really didn't need a lot of food or water or even sleep. Gimli, on the other hand, was a Dwarf, so his endurance was probably higher than normal. 

_But what about the Hobbits, I wonder? _She gazed worriedly at Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, who were now sitting on the nearby boulders, arguing over whom amongst them would be bringing the food. She knew that they had extremely voracious appetites, and she was thinking how it would go with them to be without food for an awfully long while.

She sighed. _But there are other, more important things that we need to think about right now. _She sat down on the boulder with Camille, and they waited for Gandalf to finish whatever it was he was doing.

*      *      *

Camille sighed irritably as she looked at Gandalf, who was sitting beneath the two holly trees in front of the now-revealed Doors of Durin, their only entrance to Moria. _What is taking him so long?!_

Only earlier he had uncovered the outlines of an archway drawn in silver, with words written along the top and bottom in Elvish characters. There also, along the door, were drawn a crown surrounded by seven stars, beneath which were a hammer and an anvil. In the middle of the doors, over the crack, was drawn a single star with many rays. Around the star grew two trees bearing crescent moons. These were the many symbols and emblems of the many kingdoms of old: the crown with seven stars was the symbol of Elendil, the last noble High-King of Men; the anvil and hammer were the emblems of Durin, the last Lord of Moria; the two trees symbolized the High Elves; and the single star was that of Feanor, also a great leader of the Elves. The words beneath the doors ran thus when translated in Westron: "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter." 

But they currently had one little problem. Since the only way to open the Gates was to say the password, everyone had turned to Gimli, Aragorn and Gandalf to open them. Unfortunately, Gimli had absolutely no idea as to what the password could be, since he had never even been to Moria. He had only heard about it from old songs and legends that were passed down amongst the Dwarves over the generations. Aragorn had been there, but had crossed from the east side going west. The same could be said for Gandalf. But, being the Wizard that he was, Gandalf believed that he could find a way to open the Gates. With this thought in mind, Gandalf tried a couple of spells on it, but nothing worked. Right now, he was sitting in front of the Doors, trying to think of another way to get through.

Just then, a wind blew towards them from the West, and with it came the sound of wolves howling. Camille winced. _Okay, so I DIDN'T exactly get all the Wargs. _Bill the pony started in fear, but Sam quickly soothed him. 

"Don't let Bill go so soon!" Boromir called. "It seems that we shall need him, if the wolves do not find us." He glared at the dark pool. After a moment, he picked up a stone, and threw it into the water. It hit the water with a splash.

Eli jumped up the moment she heard the sound of the stone hitting the water. "BOROMIR! Don't do that!!!" She walked up to him, and grabbed his hand before he could pitch another rock in. She eyed him angrily, her hazel eyes flashing. "Try that one more time, and I'll throw YOU in! There's something sitting at the bottom of that pool, and if it goes after us, I'm sure it won't mind having Gondorian on the menu tonight."

Camille's temper had reached its limits. She got up, and walked over to Gandalf. He was still staring blankly at the wall, and she wasn't even sure if he was actually thinking. She stared hard at the Elvish characters. She repeated what they said in her mind. _The Doors or Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter…_ After a moment's thought, she laughed. "Oh God, I don't believe it! I can't believe we were so stupid!"

Gandalf woke up from his stupor, and looked at her. "What do you mean, Camille?"

Camille pointed to the Elvish characters. "It's a riddle, or, put more accurately, a trick question. If we were to translate it literally, it won't be 'Speak, friend,' but 'SAY friend'! And the Elvish word for 'friend' is 'MELLON'!"

The moment she said the word, the drawings and characters of ithildin glowed brightly in the moon's light, and the doors started to open with a long, slow groan, swinging outwards inch by inch until they stopped against the wall. From within, Camille could see a lonely stairway that led ever upwards into the gloom.

Gandalf stared at the now-open doors, and let out a loud laugh of relief and amazement. "Well, this is the first time for this to have happened! A young girl from another world who has no knowledge about our lore here in Middle-Earth has solved a riddle that not even Gandalf the Gray could answer! You are truly an extraordinary girl, my dear." He turned towards the entrance, and called to the others. "Now come! We have a long journey ahead of us!"

He had barely set foot on the lowest step, when the pool behind them let out a violent bubbling sound. Almost instantly, snake-like extensions rose up from the murk, and grabbed Frodo by the foot, dragging him towards the water.

"FRODO!!!" Camille screamed as she ran towards the edge of the lake, and got her bow off her shoulders. She nocked an arrow, and started firing as many arrows as she could. She was soon joined by Legolas, the both of them aiming for the tentacle that had grabbed Frodo. But it was no good. Not even the arrows created by Suzako could pierce through the skin.

Camille cursed. _Damn! This squid is just too tough to beat with arrows! _Deciding that she shouldn't waste her only long-range weapon, she unsheathed her kodachi, and raced towards the squid, ready to chop off all the tentacles if she had to.

But Eli was already there ahead of them. She had been using her kunai, tossing it all over the place, and she noticed several daggers sticking out of the tentacles. A flash of silver flickered in the moonlight, and she saw her best friend slicing through the tentacles, cutting through the flesh with ease.

"Eli, go get Frodo! I'll handle the rest down here!" Camille yelled, and she started leaping over the tentacles, chopping any that threatened to come in her way.

High above her, Eli jumped over the tentacles, using them as springboards so that she would be able to reach Frodo. The moment she got to him, she grasped his hand in a vise-like grip, and sliced the tentacle off his foot. Eli then started to make her way back, with Camille covering for them since Eli had to hold Frodo.

Gandalf was standing at the entrance, apparently waiting for them. The rest of the Fellowship was already inside, but they still waited anxiously for the Ringbearer and the Summoners. Camille and Eli rushed in, Frodo in Eli's arms. They had barely gotten inside when the doors came crashing down, the stone crumbling over the entrance, barring any way of escape.

Gandalf sighed, and shook his head. "Our passage is blocked behind now, and there is only one way out – on the other side of the mountains. I fear from the sounds that boulders have been piled up, and the trees uprooted and thrown across the gate."

Camille rolled her eyes. _Oh great, this is just great. We have no method of escape, and we're going to have to go through this dark dank mine… _She shivered, and sneezed. "Damn, this place is cold! I want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"But it's not the cold that bothers me," Eli whispered as she focused her gaze deep into the gloom ahead of them. "I can feel something in there, and it isn't going to be pretty." She fell silent for a moment, and in a lower voice, she added, "It feels like that presence in the lake, only infinitely worse. Not Orcs…though they could be here, too…but something more wicked than that."

Gandalf nodded, moving ahead of them and sparking his staff to be their light. "You speak truly, Eli. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world."

Camille shivered again, but this time not of the cold, but out of a strange fear that crept up her spine and chilled her from the inside. "I just hope we won't meet up with any of them."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: O-kay, this seems to be going pretty well so far. This story is getting harder and harder to write by the second, since there hasn't been a romantic scene for quite a while, and those are my specialties sniff, sniff. But I think trying to write all these action scenes is doing me good; I'm actually forced to write something more than sappiness and mush. But for people who like sap and romance, DON'T WORRY! There's going to be quite a bit of it coming your way soon! Just have patience with this poor author bows head to floor!


	23. Chapter Twenty-two: In the Halls of Mori...

Chapter Twenty-Two: In the Halls of Moria 

Legolas trudged up the almost endless stairway, his footsteps unusually heavy for his kind. _But how can I not feel so weary if this darkness is all around me? _Being an Elf and thus a Creature of the Light, he hated the darkness as much as Orcs and goblins despised the light of the sun. He did not fear the night; for during the evening there was at least the light of the stars to comfort him. But here, in the total darkness of the Mines of Moria, he did not feel so at ease.

They meandered their way through the dark tunnels, the only source of light coming from Gandalf's staff. The Wizard walked in the lead, and beside him went Gimli the Dwarf. Just behind him was Frodo, with his sword Sting drawn. Behind Frodo followed Merry, Sam and Pippin, and they too had their swords drawn. Camille and Eli followed them, but they didn't seem to be bothering with their weapons yet. Legolas walked behind them, and just behind him was Boromir. The last of the Company was Aragorn, grim and silent like always.

Suddenly, Gandalf halted, and with him halted the rest of the Fellowship. They were now standing in a hallway with three different doors branching out of it. Legolas turned to Gandalf expectantly, hoping that this was just a brief pause as the Wizard tried to remember the right way to go.

However, his hopes were dashed when Gandalf announced, "I have no memory of this place at all!"

Camille sighed wearily, and dropped her pack to the floor. "Okay, since it seems that you're going to need a little time in deciding, why don't we all take a rest here for the meantime? All that climbing has made my feet horribly sore."

Eli snorted in agreement as she plopped down on a nearby ledge. "Tell me about it. I bet that I've got a dozen bruises on my feet." She groaned, and rubbed the calf of her leg. "All that climbing has made my legs sore…damn Dwarves… Haven't they heard of escalators? Or even elevators?"

In the meantime, Gandalf's staff illuminated the rest of the room. There was a huge hole in the middle of the room, and looked like a well.

"This must have been a guardroom," Gandalf muttered, "made for the watching of the three doors." He sighed wearily. "But I am too tired to decide which way to go. I think that we can rest here for the meantime. But have a care and keep away from the well!"

Everyone, the Hobbits in particular, let out a sigh of relief. Legolas helped the others unload their things, set up a small camp of sorts. Fortunately, Gandalf allowed them a small fire for their comfort. In moments the smell of food cooking filled the air, and made the dark cavern seem a little more cheerful.

Legolas walked up to Camille, watching as she slid her feet out of her boots. She rubbed them slowly, particularly around the ankles and toes, pointing and bending them to relieve some of the pressure that had built up in them from all the walking. He couldn't help but notice just how small her feet were. They were slim and delicately shaped, like those of a dancer's. He approached her, and sat down beside her. ^Are you alright, Eriol?^

Camille sighed wearily, but nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"That is good." Legolas turned away from her, and instead, focused on the three dark passages that lay ahead of them. _I hope that Gandalf can find the right passage soon…_

Camille suddenly spoke then. "You don't look too good, Legolas. Is something bothering you?"

The Elf turned to her, and smiled apologetically. "Unfortunately, yes, there is." He raised his hand up slightly towards the darkness that lay before them. "I do not feel comfortable with this darkness. Elves are Creatures of Light, as you may remember, and we are not used to the total darkness in caves. Aside from that, the close confines of these Mines also make me feel uncomfortable. I am a Wood Elf; I am used to the open meadows and glades of a forest, not the restrictions of a tunnel."

The girl beside him laughed softly. "I understand how you feel. I've been afraid of the dark since I was a little girl, and it's a fear I carry up to now. The dark passages almost made me freak out; if it hadn't been for the fact that Gandalf's staff could light up, I wouldn't have set foot in this place. But as for a fear of confined spaces…I don't have that, fortunately. As long as there's a light, I can walk through even the narrowest cave or mine shaft there is." She grinned at him. "In our world, people actually go into caves for the sake of adventure. We call that hobby 'spelunking'."

"Is that not dangerous?" Legolas asked, finding it rather absurd that anyone would willingly go into a cave.

"That's what makes it so fun. In our world, everything's peaceful. Except for a few countries, most international differences are easily solved through diplomacy. And whenever agreements cannot be reached, trade embargoes are often implemented instead of all-out war. Because of this, there is a SEVERE lack of things for adventurous people to do. So they resort to doing other things, like exploring the deepest depths of the oceans, or searching old ruins hidden within the deserts or rainforests, or, like I said, going into the earth through a cave." Camille shrugged. "Most people will do anything for an adrenaline rush."

PLUNK!!!!

The Fellowship was startled almost out of their skins. Legolas jumped, and beside him, Camille uttered a loud gasp. "What was that?!"

Pippin's soft stammering came from the well. "I-It was I. I…I dropped a stone into the well…"

That response made the Company's hearts a little lighter, but Gandalf was irritated to no end. "Fool of a Took!" the Wizard growled. "This is a serious journey, not a Hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will be no further nuisance. Now be quiet!"

For several minutes there was indeed silence, but then from out of the bottom of the well came faint knocks, like that of a hammer striking an anvil.

"That is a hammer, or I have never heard one," Gimli muttered, confirming what the others were thinking.

"Yes," said Gandalf, "and I do not like it. It may have nothing to do with Pippin's foolish stone; but probably something has been disturbed that would have better been left quiet. Pray, do nothing of the kind again! Let us hope we shall get some rest without further trouble. You, Pippin, can go on the first watch, as a reward," he growled as he rolled himself in a blanket.

Eli spoke up then. "That wasn't really nice Gandalf. Pippin didn't really mean it."

The Wizard snorted, but didn't say anything more.

Aragorn set about to lowering the fire, and then pulled a blanket around himself, preparing to go to sleep. "Never cross a Wizard Eli, especially if that Wizard is Gandalf the Gray. What he says is final, and not even I dare to defy his words."

Legolas could see Eli's annoyed expression by the dimmed firelight. After a while, the girl stood up, and walked over to the path they had come by, and stood in front of it, as still as a statue. For a while, she did nothing, but then, he felt the soft flowing of wind throughout the area, making the flames shiver and dance. In the meantime, Eli glowed with a soft white light that illuminated the darkness around her momentarily, making the shadows flee. Her lips moved to form words, "Shield of Holy Wind." Her aura brightened for a moment, and then spread outwards over their camp, forming a dome of energy around them all.

Camille smiled at her. "Taking the necessary precautions, I see."

Eli nodded as she walked over to her portion of the wall to sleep. "I know. I don't want to risk anything. I might feel sorry for Pippin, but I don't feel safe with HIM on watch."

Camille snorted over her barely suppressed laughter, and turned over, lying on her side as she pulled her blanket over her body. 

Legolas sighed, knowing that it was probably best to simply try and get some rest. Leaning his back against a pillar, he slowly slipped into the land of Elvish dreams, his eyes open, but his mind was lost in his dreams.

*      *      *

Camille had around six hours of blessed sleep before she felt herself being shaken awake by Boromir. Apparently, Gandalf had finally made a decision as to which of the three doors they should take, and he had decided that the should take the right-hand door.

Gandalf smiled rather cheerily at Camille when she asked him how he had come to that decision. "I do not like the feel of the middle way; and I do not like the smell of the left-hand way: there is foul air down there, or I am no guide."

Eli snickered as they began to walk through the right-hand passage, and felt the ground beneath them steadily rise upwards. "Hey Camille, you think that Gandalf can beat a bloodhound?"

Camille giggled at the comparison of the Wizard with a dog. "Maybe. After all, Gandalf can talk, and he can use magic. How many bloodhounds you know can do that?"

They slowly began to climb ever upwards, and as they did so, the air became less stuffy and a little cooler. There were no other side passages or doors, so they simply walked straight ahead, following the light of Gandalf's staff as it bobbed up and down in front of them like a will o' the wisp. 

After walking for hours, the walls left and right suddenly vanished. Camille groped in the open air, for she had been trailing her fingers along the walls for comfort. "Hey, what happened to the walls?!"

Gandalf sounded pleased with himself. "I have chosen the right way. At last, we are coming to habitable parts, and I guess that we are not far now from the eastern side. But we are high up, a good deal higher than the Dimrill Gate, unless I am mistaken. From the feeling of the air we must be in a wide hall. I will now risk a little real light."

There was a flash from Gandalf's staff, and for a moment the entire space around them was illuminated. Camille looked up, and felt her jaw slacken in amazement. A roof rose high above their heads, held up by innumerable pillars made out of the stone itself. Before them and around them stretched a huge empty hall, with black walls of stone that glittered and flashed in the temporary blaze of light that shone from Gandalf's staff. Ahead of them, she noticed three entrances: one in front of them going east, and two others on either side, leading north and south. And then the light went out.

Eli groaned when the light disappeared. "Gandalf, can't you keep that thing lit up a little longer? I really don't like the idea of standing in an empty hall with such a minimal amount of illumination."

The Wizard shook his head. "I am sorry, my dear, but I cannot keep up the light for longer than necessary. We might call more attention than is needed." He looked up. "There used to be great windows on the mountain-side, and shafts leading out to the light in the upper reaches of the Mines. I think we have reached them now, but it is night outside again, and we cannot tell until morning. If I am right, tomorrow we might actually see the morning peeping in. But in the meanwhile we can go no further. Let us rest, if we can. Things have gone well so far, and the greater part of the dark road is over. For we are not through yet, and it is a long way down to the Gates that open on the world."

Camille sighed, glad that she was finally going to get some decent sleep. She helped the others set up a small camp of sorts in a corner of the hall, where the draft wasn't so strong. She glanced over at Eli, and noticed that the girl was still standing, looking into the gloom. "Something the matter?"

Her best friend nodded slowly. "Yeah. Of course, I might just be going paranoid, but I doubt that." She hissed as she walked over to them. "Damn it, but my ninja instincts are going into overdrive mode! Damn room with all its pillars! I feel like someone or something is going to leap out from behind them and throw a shuriken at me."

Merry looked up at her curiously. "What is a ninja?"

Eli sighed, and proceeded to give a full explanation about ninjas and their skills and talents. Everyone was impressed by the explanation, especially where it concerned their proficiency with all kinds of weapons and talent at stealth. They were even more impressed when they learned that Eli was actually trained as one.

"And that's why I feel so uncomfortable in this hall," she said at last. "My instincts are telling me that something is terribly wrong, and that we're going to find out exactly what it is, sooner rather than later."

Sam sighed then, and gazed upwards towards a ceiling he couldn't see. "Now that you talk about ninjas, Miss Eli, I'm starting feel a little uncomfortable around here. Dwarves didn't live in these darksome holes, surely?"

"These are not holes," Gimli said. "This is the great realm and city of the Dwarrowdelf. And of old it was not darksome, but full of light and splendor, as it is still remembered in our songs." Here he began to chant in a slow, deep voice, and it was a song about how Moria was made, and of the greatness of its creator, Durin.

When the song was ended, Sam exclaimed, "I liked that! I should like to learn it. But it makes the darkness seem heavier, thinking of all those lamps. Are there piles of gold and jewels lying around here still?"

It was Gandalf who spoke. "Piles of jewels? No. The Orcs have often plundered Moria; there is nothing left in the upper halls. And since the dwarves fled, no one dares seek the shafts and treasuries down in the deep places; they are drowned in water – or a shadow of fear."

"Then what do the Dwarves want to come back for?" asked Sam.

"For mithril," answered Gandalf. "The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels, the toys of the Dwarves; nor in iron, their servant. Such things they found here, it is true, especially iron; but they did not need to delve for them: all things that they desired they could obtain in traffic. For here alone in the world was found Moria-silver, or true-silver as some have called it: mithril is the Elvish name. The Dwarves have a name, which they do not tell. Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the Orcs dare not delve here for it. The lodes lead away north towards Caradhras, and down into darkness. The Dwarves tell no tale; but even as mithril was the foundation for their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin's Bane. Of what they brought to light the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to Sauron, who covets it.

"Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of mithril does not tarnish or grow dim. The Elves dearly loved it, and among many uses they made of it ithildin, or starmoon, which you saw upon the doors."

"Like silver but doesn't tarnish and is ten times the value of gold… That sounds a lot like platinum," Camille murmured. When she saw inquiring eyes gazing at her, she added, "Platinum is a special kind of metal where we are from. Like this mithril you're talking about, it's harder than steel, and looks like silver when polished but doesn't tarnish like real silver. It has many uses but since it looks like silver, it's been used in jewelry too." She reached up to her right ear, and removed her small platinum hoop earring. "Here's a sample of it."

Gimli reached out to take it, and looked at it carefully. After a while, he shook his head, and gave it back to her. "It does look and feel like mithril at first glance, but careful observation will show that it is not. But it truly does resemble mithril…the weight, and the color of it…but it does not have the glow of mithril. Even in such a dark place as this true mithril would shine even dimly."

Camille put the earring back on, and stretched. "Well, whatever. I'm going to sleep now." With that, she shut her eyes, and fell into a deep and refreshing slumber.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, that was another boring interlude thing. Initially, this chapter and the next were one, but I decided to split them because it got too long. Anyway, the real action begins in the next chapter. See you there!


	24. Chapter Twenty-three: Dragon versus Balr...

Chapter Twenty-Three: Dragon Versus Balrog 

Eli slowly blinked her eyes open, trying to adjust them to the dim light that shone into them… _Wait a minute. Light?_ She straightened up, and heard the others talking in soft whispers all around her. 

Gandalf turned to her then, and smiled. "Good morning, my dear! For morning it is again at last. I was right, you see. We are high up on the east side of Moria. Before today is over we ought to find the Great Gates and see the waters of Mirrormere lying in the Dimrill Dale before us."

Camille whooped softly with relief. "FINALLY! I've had quite enough of all this darkness! Any longer here and I'll start seeing things!"

Eli snorted suddenly, and tried to quell her laughter. Camille smirked. Eli knew that she didn't believe in ghosts or any such things, so when Camille said that she was starting to "see things", it was meant in a VERY sarcastic manner.

When everything was packed up, they started to move again. They moved forward towards the light, feeling that it would lead them outwards. However, they ended up in a large square chamber. Though the light was dim, they had been so long in the darkness that they had to blink their eyes to clear their sight.

The dust was thick beneath their feet, and their footsteps were somewhat padded as they walked forward. Camille nearly tripped over a crumpled shape that lay near the door, and muttered an annoyed curse. "Who the hell is leaving all these things lying around?! Didn't they ever learn to clean up after themselves?!"

The light seemed to be coming from a shaft high above the eastern wall, and fell directly on a table in the middle of the room: a single oblong block, about two feet high, upon which was laid a great slab of white stone.

Eli suddenly froze in her tracks. _It feels so…odd. Why does it feel like there are so many dead things in here? _ "I don't like the feel of this place," she whispered, so that only Camille could hear. "Too many living things have been killed here…I can still feel death hanging over this place like a deep and dreadful fog…" She shuddered, and wrapped her arms around herself.

Camille looked at her with a concerned gaze. "Are you okay, Eli? You don't look too good."

Eli swallowed hard. "I don't know. It's so cold here…and I can hear voices like Gimli's, only they're crying out like they're scared and dying…" She shook her head to clear her thoughts. _Get a grip, Eli! You're going to be fine. They're dead; they can't hurt you. _

BOOM!!!!

Eli jerked, and turned sharply to the door. "What was that?!"

DOOM, DOOM!!!! The ground beneath their feet trembled, and it felt like Moria was becoming a gigantic drum of sorts. But who was sounding that drum, they didn't wish to know. 

Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir, Eli and Camille moved towards the door through which they had come. Legolas and Aragorn looked through the crack, while Eli, Camille and Boromir busied themselves with listening. They could hear a great horn blast, followed by the answering cries of other horns, and the sound of many feet pattering in the hall.

Legolas jerked back from the door, fitting an arrow into his bow. "They are coming!"

"Trapped!" cried Gandalf. "Why did I delay?! Here we are, caught, just as Balin's folk were before us! But I was not here then, and neither were our Summoners. We shall see what-"

BOOM, DOOM!!!"

"Slam all the doors and wedge them!" shouted Aragorn. "And keep your packs on for as long as you can; we may get a chance to cut our way out yet."

Eli shook her head. _This is a trap, or I'm not a ninja for nothing! _ "That's not a good idea! That's exactly what these guys want: to get us trapped in here like mice in a cage! Keep the east door open so we at least have an escape route!"

The rest of the Company nodded. Boromir then moved towards the west door, and put his shoulder against it in an attempt to close it.

Gandalf sprang towards them. "Wait a moment! Do not close it yet!" He drew himself to his full height, and cried in a loud voice, "Who comes hither to disturb the rest of Balin Lord of Moria?"

The sound of harsh laughter echoed back to those within the chamber, and Eli knew without a doubt that they were Orc-voices. She watched as Gandalf stepped before the narrow opening, and stuck his staff out. For a while, a brilliant flash of light shone in the hall and passageways, and then winked out. Gandalf pulled back just as several arrows came whizzing towards the spot where his head had previously been. 

The Wizard's face was grim. "There are Orcs,  very many of them," he said. "And some are large and evil: black Uruks from Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way."

"And no hope at all, if they come by the other way," Boromir muttered morosely.

"There is no sound here yet," said Aragorn, who had been listening at the east door for quite a while. "The passage on this side plunges straight down a stair: it plainly does not lead back towards the hall. But it is no good flying blindly this way with the pursuit just behind. We must do something to delay the enemy first. We shall make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!"

Outside, Eli could hear the pounding of heavy feet in the hall outside. She drew her sword, preparing for any eventuality. In the meantime, Boromir threw himself against the door, and wedged it shut with pieces of wood and broken sword blades.

But Eli knew such a barrier wouldn't last that long. She closed her eyes, and focused her energy on the door rings. She no longer had to speak the words for the spell she needed: instantly, the door rings froze over, locked in position by solid ice. That ice spread out around the doorframe, sealing it quite effectively.

Gandalf smiled at her as he drew his own sword. "Very good, Eli! That should keep them out of this room for quite a while!"

"But not for long!" Camille yelled as the doorframe began to shudder as a mighty blow impacted on it. For a while, the ice and the wedges held it fast, but after three more mighty thumps, it flew wide open. A huge arm and shoulder, with a dark skin of greenish scales, was thrust through the gap. Then a great, flat toeless foot went in. There was a dead silence outside.

Boromir leaped forward and tried to hew the arm, but his sword rang, and glanced aside, falling from his shaken hand. The blade was notched.

Suddenly, Frodo leaped forward, Sting glowing bright blue in his hand. "The Shire!" He sprang beside Boromir, and stabbed the troll in the foot. There was a bellow, and the foot jerked back, nearly wrenching Sting from Frodo's arm. Black drops dripped from the blade and smoked on the floor.

"One for the Shire!" cried Aragorn. "The Hobbit's bite is deep! You have a good blade, Frodo son of Drogo!"

"And he's going to need it! Look out!" Eli shouted as a stream of Orcs flooded the chamber. She couldn't count how many there were, but she didn't really care. She drew out her sword with a mighty war cry, and proceeded to weave a deadly dance through the Orcs. Above her head, the arrows of Camille and Legolas whistled by, striking down Orc after Orc. Gimli hewed the legs below another that had sprung on top of Balin's tomb. Boromir and Aragorn slew many between the two of them. 

Eli sighed and wiped the sweat off her brow when the first wave of Orcs fled, shrieking a horrid sound into the Mines. She had managed to kill more than ten, though she preferred not to count. She looked back, and noticed that most of them were unharmed, except for Sam who had a nick along the scalp where an Orc arrow had grazed him. 

"Now is the time!" cried Gandalf. "Let us go, before the troll returns!"

Eli scrambled through the chamber, she and Camille trying to herd the Hobbits out to safety, but before they had even reached the stairs outside, a huge Orc chieftain, almost man-high, clad in black mail from head to foot, leaped into the chamber; behind him his followers clustered in the doorway. 

The Hobbits let out a cry of dismay when they saw it, and the rest of the Company, upon hearing it, went back in. Boromir charged, but he was thrown back against the wall by the Orc captain's huge hide shield. The thing then dodged Aragorn's sword thrust, and threw his spear straight at Frodo. It caught the Ringbearer on the shoulder, and pinned him against the wall.

That did it. White-hot anger the likes of which she had never felt before rose in Eli as she glowered ferociously at the thing, and felt power beginning to course in her veins. A white aura flashed around her, while the kanji symbol for "Tiger" flickered to life on her brow. She glanced at Camille, and noticed that her best friend was shining with a green light. The kanji symbol for "Serpent" appeared on her forehead. _It's now or never. _With a cry, the two girls loosed their spells at the Orcs in a desperate attempt to prevent them from getting to the rest of the Fellowship. The powers of wind and earth combined into a blinding sandstorm that tore right through all the Orcs in the chamber, killing them all in one blow.

Eli turned to the others. "Go, go now, before the reinforcements come!" Obeying her commands, the Hobbits ran towards the east door. As he was going out, Aragorn picked Frodo up, and carried him over his shoulder. However, Gimli had to be dragged out by Legolas, for the Dwarf was still kneeling in front of Balin's tomb with his head bowed. Boromir hauled the doors closed, and Eli once more cast the ice spell for added security.

However, a sudden gasp brought her attention to Frodo. "I am alright!" the Hobbit wheezed. "I can walk. Put me down!"

Camille laughed suddenly, and threw her arms around Frodo. "Frodo! I thought you were dead!"

"Not yet!" said Gandalf. "But there is no time for wonder. Off you go, all of you, down the stairs! Wait a few minutes for me at the bottom, but if I do not come soon, go on. Go quickly and choose paths leading right and downwards!"

Eli's eyes widened. _Is he crazy?! He CAN'T stand up to that troll alone!! _"Gandalf that's stupid! Are you on a suicide mission or something?! Camille and I will stay right here with you and fight off whatever it is you need to hold back!"

The Wizard shook his head at them. "I am afraid that you cannot stay with me, my dears. The Ringbearer needs you powers more than mine. You must stay with him; the Quest lies upon his shoulders, remember that." His voice suddenly became fierce. "Now go! Do as I say! You are needed elsewhere! Go!"

Eli cringed at the sudden harshness in Gandalf's usually calm and cheerful voice, but she did as he told her nonetheless. She and Camille ran down the stairs to where the rest of the Fellowship waited. She shook her head at the expectant faces of the Fellowship. "I'm sorry, but he wouldn't let us stay. We wanted to help him, but be wouldn't let us." She doubled over, and placed a hand to her chest. She winced, feeling her heart beating erratically as she forced her lungs to pump air. _Oh damn it, damn it all! This CAN'T happen, not now!!_

Aragorn's hand was on her back. "Eli, are you alright? You do not seem so well."

Eli gulped, and nodded, straightening herself as she did so. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little woozy, that's all." She caught Camille looking at her, and noticed the worried gaze in her best friend's eyes. She gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, so that not even Aragorn could see it.

Just then, Gandalf landed in their midst as he came almost flying down the steps from the door at the top. The Wizard seemed weary, like he had just done something that required a massive amount of energy. But he got up quickly, and pushed his way to the front. "Come, there is not much time! We must make our way to the Gate while our enemies are yet trapped behind us!"

Eli ran after Gandalf, pushing herself to the limit. Every step felt like it was being done with lead weights attached to her feet, and her lungs felt like they were made of concrete. _I might not last that long, if this keeps up…_

Suddenly, they were standing in another hall though it was much wider and bigger than the one they had first seen. The pillars were black, but they were glowing red. Eli also noticed that the heat had suddenly increased. _Is there a fire somewhere here?_ She looked back, and noticed where the fire was coming from. A deep fissure had opened up in the floor, and every now and then flames licked at the edges of the gorge. Wisps of dark smoke rose from it and wavered in the hot air.

"If we had come by the main road down from the upper halls, we should have been trapped here," said Gandalf. "Let us hope that the fire now lies between us and pursuit. Come! There is no time to lose!"

He turned left, and the Fellowship sped across the smooth floor of the hall. The distance was greater than it looked. As they ran, they heard the beat of drums and echo of many feet. A shrill yell went up, and arrows started winging their way towards their heads. Eli groaned. _We've been spotted! _

"Go forward, go forward!" Gandalf shouted as he fell back slightly so that he and Eli were running side-by-side. "The Bridge is near! We shall make it, if we are swift! Do not look back!"

They arrived at the Bridge, and those ahead started to cross. It was long and narrow, but it didn't really matter, since they were much too concerned with making it to the other side.

Suddenly, a cold wave of evil hit Eli smack in the back. She winced, and knew that something very bad was near. Disobeying Gandalf's orders, she turned around, and looked.

At first she couldn't see its face, because it was like a black shadow that moved on its own accord. It was man-like in shape, but much, much bigger. As it approached the fire, the light of the flames dimmed for a moment, but after a while flared up more brightly than before. The mane of the thing kindled, and it seemed to hold a sword like a stabbing tongue of fire, and in its other hand it held a whip with many thongs. _It looks like that monster from Final Fantasy VII._

She heard Legolas cry out from behind. "Ai! Ai! A Balrog! A Balrog is come!"

"Durin's Bane," muttered Gandalf as he moved closer to her. In moments, Camille was beside them, a halfhearted grin on her face. "You aren't going to face that thing alone, you know."

Gandalf was about to protest, but Eli had already made a move. She stepped forward towards the Balrog, ignoring the sickening wave of heat and wickedness that rolled off it. "You shall go no further, creature of the Shadows! Once long ago, Middle-Earth was not tainted by the existence of your kind, and I shall do all I can to erase you from the face of this world!" She raised her arms high as a wind picked up. "I am one of the Summoners of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth! You cannot defy my power!"

The Balrog roared, and she was hit square in the face with its mighty breath. She felt weakened all of a sudden, but she ignored it. Drawing up all the power that lay within her, she focused her energy for one massive spell, a spell that could surely kill the Balrog…

Her eyes flew wide open, glimmering like golden stars. "You shall go no further! I summon you, Seiryuu, Dragon Spirit of the East!! Cast down now this creature of Darkness, that goodness may reign forevermore!"

A cry sounded to her overhead. She looked up, and watched as a mighty dragon, with scales of blue and talons of silver descended from above, and placed itself between her and the Balrog. For a while, the demon seemed to quail before the mightiness of Seiryuu, but quickly recovered itself. There was a flash as the two beings clashed, and Eli prayed that Seiryuu would be victorious.

But it was not to be. When the flash dissipated, she was dismayed to see that the Balrog was still standing. Seiryuu was nowhere to be seen. She felt her knees giving way beneath her, but she fought it. 

Gandalf pushed her back. "Get back from here now! I shall handle this!"

"No!" Camille screamed as she and Eli hung onto each other. "We aren't going to leave you Gandalf!"

But the Wizard paid no heed to them. He faced the Balrog, his staff held out before him, the crystal glowing brightly. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!"

The Balrog hesitated, and Gandalf took this chance. He shouted a spell, and stabbed his staff onto the bridge. The stone crumbled, and the Balrog fell down into the deep pit, and vanished. However, its whip of many thongs still swirled into the air, and grabbed hold of Gandalf's foot. With a shout, Gandalf slipped, and managed to save himself from falling totally by grabbing onto the rock ledge.

"GANDALF!!!!!" Eli and Camille screamed at once. They ran over, sliding at the last minute, and grabbing each of Gandalf's hands in their own. 

Eli smiled down at the Gray Wizard. "Hang on Gandalf, we're going to pull you up."

Gandalf shook his head. "No my dear, you must let me go! There is no time; the Orcs will be upon you if you tarry longer!"

"But we can't LEAVE you here!" Camille screamed back. "We NEED you, Gandalf!"

Gandalf stared at the two of them with his piercing eyes. "But the Fellowship needs YOU, my dears. Eli, your courage and your insight will be sorely missed, if you were to die here now. And besides, you must fulfill the promise you made to Elrohir and Elladan. You must live for them, Elisabeth. You vowed that you would return to them, did you not? 

"And you, Camille, the Fellowship needs your sensitivity and concern for them." Gandalf smiled at her then. "And though you may not know it now, Legolas needs you the most. Without you he would fade into darkness. You are his light, child. You are to him as Earendil star is to the Elves. You are his sun and his moon, and if you were to disappear, he would have no reason to live."

The girls were both stunned. Gandalf, taking advantage of their surprise, shook himself from their grasp, and fell down into the darkness.

"GANDALF!!!!" Eli shrieked, and was ready to follow him down into the chasm, but Aragorn pulled her back. 

"There is nothing you can do now, Eli! We must obey his last command! Let us fly!" cried the Ranger as he pulled her across the bridge. In the meantime, Legolas was almost dragging a still stunned Camille away from the bridge. They were led up a flight of steps, and across the huge halls until at last they broke through to the Dimrill Gate. But they did not stop running until they were out of arrow-shot of Moria. They stopped in the Dimrill Dale, the drumbeats of Moria fading away at last.

And in the warm sunshine and light of day, Eli fell to her knees, and wept.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter started out pretty good, but got kind of crappy towards the end. I know, I know, I shouldn't have let the girls interfere and let the story take its course, but I just couldn't let Gandalf go like that without giving a LITTLE light of hope somehow! Anyway, on to the next chapter! With Gandalf gone, the responsibility is laid onto Aragorn's shoulders, and he decides to lead them into Lothlorien. The girls seem to be okay, but Eli doesn't seem quite the same. Could it be the grief of losing Gandalf weighed down on her more heavily than it did on the others? Or is something else wrong? Find out more later on. Namarie!!!


	25. Chapter Twenty-four: I Desire...

Chapter Twenty-Four: I Desire… 

Aragorn looked back at his companions as they trudged on behind him. They were heading towards the river Nimrodel, and already they were getting close to its banks. The night was already deepening above them, and he knew that they would have to rest sometime soon. Frodo and Sam seemed to be in pain, while the others seemed to be just plain tired. Near the rear walked Eli and Camille, and it seemed that they were talking about something in hushed voices and in a language that he couldn't understand. 

Legolas approached him at that moment. ^Aragorn, I think it would be wise to stop for now,^ muttered the Elf. ^Frodo and Sam do not seem to be doing so well, and I think that Eli is ill.^

Aragorn's eyes widened. ^Ill! How can that be?!^

Legolas' tone was lower. ^I do not know. But somewhere between our escape from Moria and our arrival here, she fell ill. I do not know how, but it must be so.^ He glanced over his shoulder. ^She is much too pale for my liking, and she coughs too frequently. When she does so, I do not like the sound of it much. It is no ordinary cough that she has.^

^We must travel just a little further. We are nearing the Nimrodel, and once we cross it, we may stop for a while and see what ails our companions,^ Aragorn said with finality. He didn't see Legolas nod, but he did know that the Elf fell back slightly, so as to keep the Hobbits company.

Their group waded across the Nimrodel, and though the water was cold, it had a healing feel to it that soothed the travelers' aching feet. When they had reached the other bank. Aragorn turned to them, and said, "Let us rest here for a while." He had barely spoken the words when Eli suddenly collapsed on her knees, her fall barely prevented by Camille and Boromir.

The Ranger's eyes widened. "Eli, what is wrong?" He approached them then, and heard the coughing of the poor girl. He winced. It had a deep, dry, raspy ring to it, and it sounded as though every cough threatened to rip her lungs to shreds. 

Eli looked up at him then, and her eyes were glazed from a pain that she struggled to control. "I'll be okay, Aragorn…I just need to rest. Go look after Frodo and Sam."

Aragorn shook his head. "I shall tend to you first, for it seems that you are the one who is more gravely ill here."

Eli shook her head, and pushed him away from her. "Buzz off, Aragorn. I know what I'm doing. Go! Sam's wound looks pretty bad, and I have the funny feeling that Frodo broke a couple of ribs."

Aragorn gazed at her, a stunned expression momentarily crossing his face. _How can she say such things when I can see such deep pain in her eyes?! _

"Now's not the time to argue, Aragorn," Camille muttered, albeit a little harshly. "I'll take care of Eli myself."

Finally realizing that there was no point in trying to dissuade these two girls, he obeyed them and turned his attention to Sam. After treating the Hobbit's wounds, he glanced at Frodo. "Now it is your turn, Frodo!"

"I am alright," said Frodo, as if he were reluctant about something. "All I need is some food and a little rest."

Aragorn shook his head. "No. We must have a look and see what that spear has done to you. I still marvel that you are alive at all." Gently he stripped of Frodo's old jacket and worn tunic, and gave a gasp of wonder. Then he laughed. Before his eyes, against a shirt of soft leather, shimmered a corselet made of mithril-rings.

He lifted it over Frodo's head, and turned to the others. "Look my friends! Here's a pretty Hobbit-skin to wrap an Elven-princeling in!"

Gimli gazed at it in wonder. "It is a mithril-coat. Mithril! I have never seen or heard tell of one so fair. Is this the coat that Gandalf spoke of? Then he undervalued it. But it was well given!"

Aragorn got back to treating Frodo's wound with the athelas he had found at Weathertop before, but out of the corner of his eye, he kept a close eye on the two girls. He watched as Camille placed something small and white in Eli's palm. The latter then placed the object in her mouth, and followed this with a long draught of water from one of the skins. While she was doing all of this, Camille was continually patting and rubbing her back, as if trying to soothe her.

_Soothe her, but of what? _After he had finished treating Frodo's injuries, he glanced more fully at Camille and Eli, and realized that the latter had fallen asleep. Camille was still awake, but her dark brown eyes were deeply troubled.

Realizing that something was wrong, Aragorn approached her, sitting beside her. "Camille, although I feel that this is an inopportune time to ask, but I must know: what is wrong with Eli?"

"She's sick," Camille replied, and bowed her head. "Very sick."

"How so?" Aragorn pressed. "If it is an illness that I can treat here and now I will do it before it worsens."

Camille let out a deep sigh. "You can't cure it. No one in our world has been able to. Treat it, yes, but cure it?" Here, she shook her head. She looked up at him then, and Aragorn noticed that she was on the verge of breaking down emotionally. The quest, the loss of Gandalf, and the condition of her best friend were all beginning to tell on her. "She has rheumatic heart disease."

"Excuse me?"

"You know how some babies are born not breathing? They're alive, but not breathing?"

"Yes, I have heard of such children, but they do not live for long. They often die early."

"Well, you see, Eli's one of them."

Aragorn's eyes widened. "Are you certain of this?"

Camille nodded. "I am. When Eli was born, the doctors – kind of like healers in our world – told her mother that she wouldn't live to see her second birthday. When she did, they gave her three years more to live. When she went past that, they gave her five years. But when Eli passed her tenth birthday without dying, the doctors admitted that it was some kind of miracle, and that if all went well, she'd live normally.

"But her heart has its limitations. She cannot strain herself too much emotionally, or else her heart would give, and that would be the end of it all." She sighed, turning away from him to look at Eli's sleeping face. "She's had to live with the fact that she was going to die soon. And now, I'm scared that she will REALLY die."

Aragorn sighed, and placed an arm around Camille as a few tears slid down from her face. "She will be all right. She is a strong girl, she will live."

He stayed with her that way for a while, affording the poor girl some comfort. _Her heart has been weighed down since Gandalf's fall, _he mused. _We are all weary from the grief, but these two all the more so._

In the meantime, Legolas had started to climb a nearby mallorn tree, intending to rest amongst the branches. However, an Elven-voice shouted a command in Elvish, ^Halt!^ Legolas dropped back down to earth with a cry of surprise.

Aragorn stood up as soft laughter echoed to them from overhead. Words were spoken in the Sindarin tongue, and Legolas responded to them. After a while, a rope ladder was thrown down to them. Aragorn smiled. "So they wish us to come up." He held his hand out to Camille, and pulled her up to her feet. "Come, the Elves have asked us to join them." When he saw her give a worried glance at Eli, he smiled reassuringly. "I shall take care of her."

Camille smiled at him then. "Thanks Aragorn." With that, she proceeded to climb up the rope ladder right after Frodo.

*      *      *

Camille slowly climbed up the rope ladder until she reached the platform that sat in the midst of the tree branches. Legolas was already there, as were Sam and Frodo. She noticed three shadowy shapes sitting near the trunk of the tree, and though it took her a while to identify what they were, she realized that they were Elves.

One of them stood up, and uncovered a small lamp that gave out a slender beam of light. This Elf gazed at each of them, but lingered on Frodo and her, in particular. After a while, he covered the lamp again, and spoke in the Common Tongue, but slowly. "Welcome! We seldom use any tongue but our own; for we dwell now in the heart of the forest, and do not willingly have dealings with other folk. Even our own kindred in the North are sundered from us. But there are some of us still who go abroad for the gathering of news and the watching of our enemies, and they speak the languages of other lands. I am one. Haldir is my name. My brothers, Rumil and Orophin, speak little of your tongue.

"But we have heard rumors of your coming, for the messengers of Elrond passed by Lorien on their way home up the Dimrill Stair. We have not heard of – Hobbits, of Halflings, for many a long year, and did know any yet dwelt in Middle-Earth. You do not look evil! And since you come with an Elf of our kindred, we are willing to befriend you, as Elrond asked; though it is not our custom to lead strangers through our land. But you must stay here tonight. How many are you?"

"Ten," replied Legolas swiftly, his light tenor bringing some comfort to Camille. "Myself, four Hobbits; and two Men, one of whom, Aragorn, is an Elf-friend of the folk of Westernesse."

"The name of Aragorn son of Arathorn is known in Lorien," said Haldir, "and he has the favor of the Lady. All then is well. But you have spoken only of seven. Who are the remaining three? And who is this Lady who sits before us now, she with the fair face and mournful eyes?"

Camille nearly snorted. _Fair face and mournful eyes?! Oh please, give me a break! _

Luckily Legolas did all the talking, as she didn't feel like opening her mouth then. "She is one of the three I have spoken of. Her name is Lady Camille Selvitar, and she is one of the Summoners of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth."

The three Elves suddenly started to murmur amongst themselves. Camille felt her ears starting to burn, because she was certain that she was the one being discussed.

After a long while, Haldir spoke again. "We heard no news of this from the messengers of Elrond, though we have heard the Lord and Lady speak of a pair of young ladies, mortal yet Elven-fair, who held great power within them and would be members of the Fellowship." He turned to her then. "Forgive us for not recognizing you earlier, My Lady. The Lady of the Galadhrim said that you and your companion were to be treated with utmost respect. I am sorry if we have not given that to you."

Camille sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm just really tired, and at this point, I couldn't really give a damn whether you called me names or anything like that, as long as I get some sleep. But there is something you could do for me."

Haldir nodded. "As long as it is within my power to grant, it shall be done."

"Good. Look, my friend, Elisabeth Carnahan – the other Summoner – is really sick. If she stays out here for much longer, I don't know how long she's going to hold out. Could any of you take her back to wherever it is you're going to take us?"

Haldir glanced at his brothers, and they conversed for a moment together. It was only a short debate, because Haldir turned to her then, and it seemed that there was a smile upon his face. "We shall do as the Lady requests, but we shall need some time to prepare. Do you wish to accompany your friend into Caras Galadhon?"

Camille smiled, and nodded. "Yes, I'd really like that. Thanks for offering." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas twitch a little, but it was so quick a movement that she couldn't be too sure.

Once again, Haldir and Legolas continued to speak in hushed Elvish voices, but since it didn't concern her anymore, Camille felt herself slipping slowly into sleep. She was only half-awake when Legolas left. Rumil, one of Haldir's brothers, gave her skins to lie on and blankets to keep her warm. The minute she lay down, she fell into a deep sleep.

*      *      *

Legolas stared into the deep forests, brooding silently as he gazed into the shadows. His thoughts were supposed to be on keeping watch, but they couldn't stay there. He turned away, and looked at the flet where Camille and Eli slept with the Hobbits. 

_Why did she want to go ahead, _he wondered to himself. There wasn't a time when they had been separated, and he did not want to start anytime soon.

^Thinking of her, Legolas?^

Legolas looked up, and noticed Haldir smiling down at him from his position higher up in the tree. Legolas sighed, and looked again towards the shadows. ^Am I so transparent that you can know my thoughts, Haldir?^

The archer from Lothlorien chuckled. ^Nay, I cannot know your thoughts; that is a talent only the Lady of the Golden Wood can have. Rather, I have seen it in your actions, and the way you were gazing at her a while ago.^ He fell silent for a while, but he broke it soon. ^Though I cannot blame you for desiring her. She is fair for a mortal. One would think that she was Half-Elven, at least, but she is not.^

^Nay, 'tis not her beauty alone that draws me,^ Legolas whispered, enough for Haldir to hear him. ^There is a fire that fuels her beauty, and that, perhaps, is what draws me to her. She seems so strong on the outside, but fragile within. And her eyes…ah, her eyes! They speak of the things she desires, things that I would pay with my immortal life for her to have, and yet they mirror my own wants. For she wishes so much to give, but she does not have the power.^

Haldir's tone was quiet. ^Do you know what she desires, Legolas? For you say that you can see what she wants, and yet they mirror your own desires.^

^Many things. Peace, happiness…love.^

^Love?^

^Aye, love. That is what she desires most. We all desire to love and be loved back, but in her it is a want so deep that I sometimes wonder if she has been loved at all.^

^Have you spoken of this matter to her?^

^I have. The Falls of the Bruinen were witness to the day I professed my love for her, but she would not have it.^ Legolas shook his head. ^Nay, she COULD NOT have it. She claimed that she could never have my love, though she has no lover. I do not understand why she would refuse it.^

^Perhaps-^

Haldir's statement was cut short when he heard a harsh laugh and the tread of many feet, along with the ringing of metal. Soon both Elves were up on their feet on their respective tree branches, scanning the horizon. In the distance, they saw a large company of Orcs crossing the Nimrodel, and heading towards them.

Legolas cursed as he jumped down to land on silent feet, intending to head towards the flet where the girls and the Hobbits slept. But Haldir soon stopped him. 

The other Elf shook his head. ^You must do something else, Legolas. I know now that I must fulfill the request of the Lady, and it should be done now. I will take them with me to Caras Galadhon ere I go to deliver the message that these foul Orcs have arrived.^

Legolas looked long and hard at the archer, and at long last, nodded. ^Do as you say, Haldir. But I shall hold you responsible for any hurt that the Ladies may incur.^

Haldir smiled slightly at his attitude. ^So be it.^ With that he sped towards the flet, while Legolas joined Orophin and Rumil in attempting to lure the Orcs away from their camp.

AUTHO'RS NOTES: Wa-hey, they have arrived in Lothlorien! Okay, I feel that I've written enough action for now, and I will move on to the more romantic aspect of this fic! The next chapter will FINALLY have a kissing scene (the last one was, what, ten chapters ago?)! Three guesses as to who it is ^_^! All ye Legolas fans, come on down! I dedicate the next chapter to all my readers and reviewers, but particularly to Legolas fans and to Angare, THEwriter Lioness, Alatariel and Dakki, as a method of thanks for putting me on their favorites list (Angare, Alatariel, THEwriter Lioness), and for being with this fic from the get-go (Alatariel, Dakki). Hope you four like this story, and the chapter that I have dedicated to you ^_~. It's fluff time, girls!


	26. Chapter Twenty-five: I Bind Myself to Yo...

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Bind Myself to You… 

Camille sighed as she sank down onto her bed in the chamber that was assigned to her, glad to finally have a proper bed to sleep in. It had been months since she had last slept in a proper bed, and to finally find one here was a great comfort. The others had arrived already, but she didn't go to them yet. She wanted to stay and watch over Eli. She only found out that the rest of the Fellowship was already in Caras Galadhon when Haldir came in and told her about it.

She smiled when she thought of him. _Haldir…_ The Elven archer was quite a charmer, to say the least. She found him funny and endearing, in spite of the fact that he had seemed rather cold and hard when they first met near the Nimrodel. In the span of time that it took them to get from the Nimrodel outpost to the city, Camille had already considered him a good friend.

But she hadn't been prepared to meet Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. After Haldir had given his report, Galadriel suddenly called her by her name. During that time, she had been standing just outside the throne room, waiting for Haldir to finish and lead her to the infirmary, and when she heard a voice call her, she stepped forward. Celeborn greeted her with kindness, and told her not to worry, for Galadriel herself would be treating Eli. Then Galadriel looked at her, and seemed to probe into her mind. In her head, she could hear the Lady asking what she desired the most, and she found herself almost giving the answer vocally, "Love."

She lay down on her bed slowly, thinking about all that they had gone through, though her mind intentionally left out the part about Gandalf. _It's too soon to think about that…_

But her mind kept straying there, especially to what he had said to make her let go, the one concerning Legolas. _And though you may not know it now, Legolas needs you the most. Without you he would fade into darkness. You are his light, child. You are to him as Earendil star is to the Elves. You are his sun and his moon, and if you were to disappear, he would have no reason to live._

^Mithrandir was right when he told you that.^

Camille sat up with a jerk, and noticed Lady Galadriel standing in front of her. "Is Eli okay?"

Galadriel nodded, and smiled at her in a kind manner, choosing then to speak in Westron. "She will be all right. She has used too much energy, that is all. She was not supposed to know how to call upon the Spirit itself until she was much stronger, but her emotions drew the power out before her body could respond properly to it." She drifted closer to Camille, and sat down beside her on the bed. "And her weak heart and lungs have been healed. They will trouble her no longer for the rest of her life."

Camille sighed, and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Lady Galadriel. You have made me feel a lot better."

The Lady smiled at her then. "Perhaps part of the burdens of your heart have been lifted, but I know that your spirit still carries pains that are not yet healed. Would you speak to me of these things?"

Camille cringed. _What am I going to tell her? That I find myself torn between my heart and my head because Legolas has told me that he loves me? _"It's very hard to explain…"

The Lady touched her gently on her back. "I shall try to understand then, dear child." 

And so Camille began, pouring out everything that troubled her heart, from her fear of Orcs to Gandalf's death, and finally to her emotions for Legolas. And the whole while, Galadriel listened to her with a sympathetic ear, not saying anything, just listening.

When her outpouring was done, Camille realized that Galadriel had somehow managed to get her out of her soiled traveling clothes and into a beautiful white Elven-dress woven through with strands of silver and edged with tiny diamonds. She was sitting in front of a mirror, and her long hair was pulled back and away from her face but still left loose, while upon her forehead there now sat a many-rayed star of silver, held in place by a round band of the same metal. In the middle of the star was a large diamond, and it seemed to be a star unto itself as it caught the meager rays of the moonlight. 

Camille gazed at herself in awe. _What the…_ "Lady Galadriel, how…why-"

Galadriel's reflection smiled at her, and shook her head. "If there is one thing about love that you do not understand, it is its power to bridge any gap. Legolas may be an Elf, true, but that does not mean your love cannot be. Your love for him is as pure as starlight before the coming of the Shadow, and such a love cannot remain trapped forever. You have gone so long unloved, dear child. Go forth, and claim what destiny has set before you." With that, she raised her hand to indicate a small rope ladder that led down the tree. "Follow the path at the bottom of the ladder; it will take you to Cerin Amroth. Once you are there, wait for a while, and your destiny will find you."

Camille looked at Galadriel with uncertainty for a moment, but then, she smiled, and nodded. _What the heck, she knows more than I do. _ "I do not understand what you mean, Lady Galadriel, but you're smarter than I am, so I might as well obey. Thank you…for this." She waved her hand to indicate her outfit. With that, she turned on her heel, and climbed down the ladder, heading towards Cerin Amroth…and her destiny.

*      *      *

Galadriel couldn't suppress a soft girlish giggle when Camille had disappeared. She had always enjoyed putting lovers together, even when she was young, and it pleased her to know that it seemed this match of hers would succeed.

_Though I know it is wrong to pair an immortal Elf with a mortal…but it does not matter. Love is what is most important here. _But she was doing this not only for the fun of it but also to fulfill the ancient prophecy, and, more importantly, to ease the pain in the young girl's heart.

For she was listening to Camille's outpouring, and her heart had ached when she listened to her. _So young, and yet she has felt enough pain to last a mortal lifetime. _Galadriel felt that she somehow owed it to the child to alleviate that hurt, no matter how small her role would be in its curing.

Her mind made up, she now drifted down from the chamber via the proper way, walking down the steps and ladders with an ease and grace that was almost magical. For from her line came Celebrian, and from her came Arwen Undomiel, Evenstar of the Elves. She walked now through Lothlorien, bending her mind to finding a certain Elf-Prince from Mirkwood. 

She found him soon enough. She approached him silently, so that not even the sensitive hearing of his Elvish ears could pick up the sound of her footsteps. He was sitting on the lower branches of a great mallorn, looking out towards the Nimrodel and singing softly to himself. 

Galadriel smiled slightly as she recognized the words in his song. It was sad, and yet, beautiful, for it spoke of longing for the love of someone one could never have. Amongst the words, she caught the name "Eriol", and she knew that it was the name the Prince had given to his beloved, who now waited for him on Cerin Amroth. She spoke then, calling his attention, ^Your plight is a sad one, young Prince.^

Legolas started, and looked down. Galadriel noticed the hint of embarrassment in his face as he leaped down gracefully, and bowed to her. ^Forgive me for interrupting your walk, My Lady. I did not know you were here.^

Galadriel raised her hand in comfort. ^Nay, you have disturbed me not, son of Thranduil.^ She smiled then. ^Your song is a very sad one, as I said. I believe I could compare it to the song of Nimrodel.^

The Prince lowered his head modestly. ^I do not think it can be compared to so beautiful a song as the lay of Nimrodel.^

^But the meaning is the same, and that is what makes it so beautiful.^ Galadriel turned away from him then, gazing at the moon. ^You love a mortal, do you not, Legolas Greenleaf?^

She sensed a ripple of discomfort run through him, but he agreed. ^Indeed, I do, Lady Galadriel. But in my mind and in my heart, she is no mere mortal; she seems to be an Elf in the guise of one, or cursed to remain in a mortal vessel.^

Galadriel laughed gently, and she glanced at the Prince. ^I did not mean to point that out as a bad thing, Legolas. I only wondered if you could love her the way she deserves to be loved.

^She is a frail child. Though she may put up a front that seems stronger and tougher than mithril, that façade is only to hide the fragile and tender heart within. She calls out to a world that would not hear her, that would not love her. For it is upon love that her spirit thrives, and her heart overflows with it. She wishes to give her love, but she cannot do so, for fear has dammed it up within her.^

Legolas spoke then. ^But what shall I do? She claims that she cannot love me, though what reason she has for saying that, I do not know.^

^As I said, it is her fear that prevents her from loving you. Show her that she CAN love you. Release her from the cage that she has trapped herself in. Teach her, help her, to find the love that lies within her.^ Galadriel smiled, and turned away. ^Go now to Cerin Amroth. She awaits you there.^

*      *      *

Legolas walked down the pathway that led to the gates of Caras Galadhon. Along the way, he thought on what the Lady of the Galadhrim had told him about Camille. _Is she truly trapped within a cage? She seems to be the true model of freedom…though perhaps that is just a façade once again. _He sighed. _Will there come a time when I can look upon her without being forced to see her though a mask? Ah, if only I could tear away those falsehoods and see her for the person she truly is!_

He had now wandered past the gates, and was now making his was towards Cerin Amroth, where the golden elanor and pale niphredil bloom for all eternity. Earendil star shone high above him, and it seemed to almost outshine the moon, for it too was out that night. They cast their silvery beams upon the crest of the hill, and through the trees, he thought he caught the sight of something sparkling.

His curiosity drawing him forward, he slowly climbed up the hill, making sure not to make a single sound, and stepped past the inner ring of mallorn trees to the clearing within. And he thought that he had suddenly stepped into a song.

_Nimrodel…_ Legolas shook his head and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. _This cannot be! Nimrodel was lost to Elven-kind long ago…_ He opened his eyes again, and looked harder. He quickly realized that it was not Nimrodel, but someone different, and, he believed, someone far more beautiful than the Elf-maiden of legend.

Beneath the combined light of the moon and Earendil star stood Camille, clad in a flowing dress of pure white with threads of silver and tiny diamonds along the edges of the collar, sleeves and hem. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face, but still fell over her shoulders in auburn rivers. A shining star was bound upon her brow, and seemed to cast light upon everything within range, as though it was a true star that had fallen from the heavens and was placed upon a circlet to grace her with beauty. She stood there, her face tilted upwards to look upon the heavens, while in her hand was a small bloom of elanor shining golden between her slender fingers.

For a while, Legolas stood there, stunned. _Has she finally revealed what she truly is, as a star upon this earth, _he wondered to himself. Unable to contain himself any longer, he stepped forward, softly calling her name in Elvish, ^Eriol.^

*      *      *

^Eriol.^

Camille jerked the moment she heard the voice. It was one she knew all too well, having heard it not just in her waking hours, but sometimes in her dreams as well. _Legolas…_ She turned slowly to the left, and gazed upon the Elf-Prince of Mirkwood. He was staring at her, his mouth parted slightly in what she recognized as a look of amazement. Blushing, she lowered her head to gaze upon the flowers of elanor and niphredil that grew in the grass beneath her feet. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He responded to her, his voice holding quiet amazement. "How can I not? For you have appeared to me as a star would if it had fallen upon this world and taken the form of the Eldar! For a moment I almost thought I had strayed into some strange dream, and I was looking upon Nimrodel herself…"

Camille giggled. "Nimrodel…you shouldn't compare me to her; I'm not as beautiful as she is."

Legolas reached out, and caught her hand in his, the petals of the elanor she had plucked a while ago trapped between their palms. "Why do you say such a thing of yourself, Camille? Why do you always refuse praise when it is given to you?"

"Because I know I don't deserve it." She tried to pull away from Legolas, but he held her hand tight. "Legolas please let me go."

The Elf Prince shook his head, his blue eyes holding a determined glint. ^Nay, I shall not.^

Camille felt her eyes widen, and she tasted panic at the back of her mouth. She tugged harder, attempting to pull away. "Please Legolas…"

He spoke then. ^The Lady of the Wood told you to come here, did she not?^

Camille stopped struggling then. _How did he know of that?_ "Yeah, she did."

^And she told you to come here, and that your destiny would come to you, did she not?^

"Yes-" Suddenly, realization dawned on her. _Oh my God…_ "Legolas, are you-"

Legolas smiled kindly at her. "Do you not remember what the Prophecy of the Summoners said? 'Fairer than any yet to be seen/ One shall be a mighty Queen.' Have you ever thought it possible that it was YOU being referred to?"

Camille was frozen in her spot as Legolas drew her into an embrace. He sighed then, a sound that matched the whispering of the wind. ^Ah, my love! Long have I desired to hold you in my arms like this, but you have shunned me, you have pushed away my love for you! Tell me, why is it so?^

"I'm afraid, Legolas," Camille admitted quietly. "I'm afraid of loving, because I think that if I fall in love, I'll just end up having my heart broken in the end." She shivered then as one of Legolas' hands strayed down to the small of her back, while the other moved to her chin, tilting her head upwards so that she was staring straight at Legolas' ocean blue eyes.

The Prince's voice was serious and hushed. ^You have no need to feel such fear, my love. I would not break your heart, not even if the world should demand it of me. I love you too much to hurt you in so cruel a manner. For we Elves know the pain that can be caused by a broken heart; immortal as we are, it is the only other thing that can kill us. We are untouchable by age and the ravages of disease, but we are not spared from a deathblow in battle…and the ache of a heart that has been shattered to pieces. And our immortal lives only make it all the more unbearable. 

^But I love you as I have never loved before, Eriol. Only now do I understand what love truly is, and I shall only know it if it is your love that I have.^

Camille shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. _I have to remind him…he can't throw his whole life away like this… _"Legolas, have you forgotten? I'm only mortal; I'll die in the end if you love me. And I don't want to break your heart that way, all the more so now that I know Elves can die of broken hearts. And I'll be going back to my own world. Don't love me Legolas, please, don't."

Legolas smiled sadly at her. ^It is too late, Eriol. For I loved you when I saw you, and there is nothing you or I can do to change it. And even then, I would not change this feeling even if I was to have the One Ring for myself. What does it matter if you are mortal? I shall surrender my immortality and live with you as an ordinary mortal. I would rather live one lifetime with you, than live an eternity deprived of your love.^ He sighed again, leaning closer to her. ^Do not fear love, Eriol. For I love you…for all eternity.^

Camille gulped, and closed her eyes, her tears trickling out of them and moving down her cheeks. "Legolas, I don't want you to throw your life away like this. You can't, you-" Her words were cut short when Legolas leaned down to her, and kissed her on her slightly open mouth. She froze then, her mind numbed by the action that had caught her completely by surprise. But slowly, as the sweet sensation finally overrode the shock, she found her eyes closing, and her body melting into his, seeking his warmth against the cold night air. She felt like she was floating in a dream she had long denied herself, a dream that was always waiting for her, but she always blocked it from her mind.

His kiss was slow and gentle, seeking only to tell her of his emotions for her, not to derive pleasure from his actions. But Camille knew that pleasure was but part and parcel of this, and she felt it coursing through her entire body in pulsing waves of electricity.

Legolas moved away from her then, his lips just a fraction of an inch away from hers. Camille stared into his eyes, and was lost in their deep blue depths. ^By this kiss I bind myself to you, Camille Selvitar, forever. Now, only death may tear you away from me.^

Camille sighed, and pressed her cheek against his chest. "And I am yours, Legolas Greenleaf." She closed her eyes, and felt her tears of joy spring from them as she spoke the three words she had longed to say to him from the moment he confessed his feelings for her in Rivendell…

"I love you."

*      *      *

Boromir clenched his fist, attempting to wrestle back his control as he looked on at the scene that lay before him. Down in Cerin Amroth, he could see Legolas and Camille, kissing each other beneath the light of the moon and Earendil star. __

_The Lady has made her choice, _he thought miserably. His mind brought back Gandalf's words by the campfire, _Boromir of Gondor, she was not meant for you. ……I feel that their destiny lies elsewhere. Camille's destiny does not lie with yours. _

He slowly turned his back to the scene, intending to head back to the place where the Fellowship would sleep. Unable to resist the temptation, he looked over his shoulder, getting one last glance at the scene that had unfolded before him. _Love her well, Legolas. I entrust her heart to you now. _With that, he looked away, and joined the rest of the Fellowship, his heart broken beyond healing.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AWWWWWWW!!! Wasn't that just SWEET?!?!?! I know, it's so sweet that some of you probably feel like brushing your teeth right after reading it, but what the hell?!?! This is the stuff I'm GOOD at! Hmmm rereads Boromir bit… Okay, I have the funny feeling that I'm going to get roasted by Boromir fans for that last bit, but…I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!! Boromir HAD to have some insight on the whole thing, right?! Anyway, on with the story! We'll move a little forwards in time, to the moment when the Fellowship leaves Lothlorien. What will happen to Eli and Camille now? What sort of parting words will Galadriel have for them? Read on to find out!


	27. Chapter Twenty-six: Farewell to Lothlori...

Chapter Twenty-Six: Farewell to Lothlorien 

"Hey Eli, wait up!"

Eli turned around, and watched as Camille came running towards her – or running as best as a long Elven dress could allow. She stopped, and waited for her best friend to catch up to her.

She had stayed in the infirmary for quite a while, since her energy was slow in coming back. Of course, she was bored stiff having nothing to do, but it was alleviated somewhat since Camille came by to visit everyday, and she brought whoever of the Fellowship was free. Most of the time it was the Hobbits or Aragorn, but every now and then she would be able to drag Boromir with her or perhaps Legolas and Gimli.

Eli smirked when she remembered what was going on with the Elf and the Dwarf. The erstwhile enemies seemed to be having fun in each other's company nowadays, though how it happened was beyond Eli's comprehension. _Of course, it isn't such a bad thing, _she thought. _Now we'll have to put up with less bickering._

That wasn't the only good news. According to Camille, Lady Galadriel, the Elven-Queen who had tended to her during her unconscious state, had somehow managed to heal her of her weak heart and lungs. At first Eli wouldn't believe it, but on her first day out she quickly realized that what Camille told her was one hundred percent true. She realized that her stamina had increased, and she could run for a long while without tiring as quickly. Also, she found out that she could have someone jump out and surprise her without feeling like her heart was going to rip its way out of her ribcage.

She ceased her musing when she noticed Camille standing in front of her. She quirked her eyebrow upwards at her best friend. "Something you wanted?"

Camille shifted her feet a little, and gave her a piece of paper. "Yeah, I wanted to give you this."

_Huh?_ Eli took the parchment, and scanned it. It was, as far as she could tell, a nine-stanza poem, each stanza consisting of four lines, written in that elegant style that made Camille's poetry worth reading, even if it WAS rather long. "What's this for?"

"You remember that bet we made, don't you? You know, the one in Rivendell?"

Eli thought back a little, and nodded. "Yeah." She grinned. "Are you telling me I won?"

Camille ducked her head, and blushed. 

Eli didn't need any further explanations. She was, however, curious as to how it happened. "Well, how did it go?"

As they walked, Camille began to explain everything, starting from Legolas' confession near the Bruinen, and finally to their kiss atop Cerin Amroth. After listening to everything, Eli grinned, and said, "Looks like you need to thank Lady Galadriel for putting the two of you together, eh?"

Her best friend shrugged. "Maybe." She bowed her head. "Yeah, I suppose I should return the favor…though I really don't know how…"

"You owe me nothing, child. I was merely giving you…how do you say…a nudge out the door."

They looked up, and noticed Galadriel standing in front of them, her golden hair shining and her blue eyes gleaming in the sunlight. The Lady of Lothlorien smiled then, though it was quite solemn – if smiles COULD be solemn, that is. "You will depart from Lothlorien soon, shall you not?"

Eli nodded. "Yes, Lady Galadriel. Aragorn said that our time of mourning is over now, and we must continue with the quest."

Galadriel nodded, and there seemed to be a hint of sadness in her face. "I see. So the time has come." She sighed, and looked at them. "Very well then.  Before you go, you must come with me. I wish to speak with you before you depart from this land, for this might be the last time we see each other again."

Eli and Camille looked at each other for a moment, and then shrugged. They followed the Lady through the forest, passing by huge mallorn trees that seemed to be a forest in themselves, if their innumerable branches were any indication. At last, they reached a secluded grove of mallorns, and here too bloomed the flowers elanor and niphredil as they did in Cerin Amroth. 

Galadriel turned to them then. "Welcome to the Garden of Galadriel, dear Summoners! Here we may rest and converse a while before you go on the quest."

Eli sat down on the grass, and plucked a bloom of niphredil, holding it between her fingers. She looked up to the sky, and smiled. _This is such a wonderful place. I don't have to worry about anything here. It feels like all my problems can bypass me as long as I stay here…_

Suddenly, Galadriel spoke. "Well then, how does it feel to have found love at last?"

Eli looked up, and furrowed her brows together in question. "What do you mean, Lady Galadriel?"

Galadriel smiled, and shook her head. "You may leave out the title of 'Lady', child. I would wish to believe that we are friends now. And as for you question, you know what I refer to."

Eli was confused. _I know what she's talking about?_ After a moment of thought, she understood what Galadriel meant, and blushed. _Oh yeah, that…_

But Galadriel wasn't talking to her at the moment, thankfully. She was busy with Camille. Eli grinned. _Makes sense, after all, it was she who finally got Camille and Legolas together._

But their chat was not for long, and soon, Camille was already walking away. Galadriel then turned to Eli, and said, "I wish to speak with you alone, Eli, for this matter worries me somewhat, but not overmuch. However, it concerns my two grandchildren, Elladan and Elrohir." She was silent for a moment, then said, "You have not chosen between them."

Eli felt her heart crash from her chest to her stomach. She sighed, and lowered her head, unable to look Galadriel in the eye. "I haven't. Although Elladan was the first to 'stake his claim', as we say in our world, I have the funny feeling that Elrohir was waiting in the wings for his time to come. Elladan just got ahead of him."

"Then whom do you prefer?"

Eli winced. _Byakko asked me that same question during my trial… _"I cannot really say. Elladan has some qualities that I like and can't be found in his brother, and there are some things I like in Elrohir that I can't find in Elladan. I like them both, to be honest…"

"But you must choose one," Galadriel said quietly. "You cannot continue like this, with your heart torn between the two of them." She smiled then. "But do not trouble yourself too much as of yet. There is still time to make a decision. When you choose, it is unavoidable that you will hurt one of them, but they will learn to live after it. Follow your heart, dear Elisarien, for that shall be your name amongst the Elves as long as you shall live."

Eli looked up at Galadriel, and noticed that she wore a kind, maternal smile on her face, much the same expression she had seen on Elrond's face before she left Rivendell. She smiled back at the Elven-Queen before her. "Thank you, Galadriel."

*      *      *

Frodo watched as Camille sprinted over to the little boats that were moored on the bank, her eyes gleaming brightly. "Ooh, canoes!" She whirled around to Eli, her Elven-cloak flying. "Hey Eli, when was the last time we took a canoe out?"

Eli approached her then, and Frodo realized that the same gleam of excitement in Camille's eyes was mirrored in her own. "I think it was last, last summer, when we shot the rapids down the Colorado River!"

"You have boats, where you are from?" Merry asked curiously.

Camille nodded. "Of course! Our country's basically lots of little islands scattered in the sea, so we need boats to get around. There are other ways to get around nowadays, but boats are still fun to use." She sighed, closing her eyes as if in memory. "I remember that trip we had last, last summer to Colorado. Eli and I desperately wanted to shoot the rapids, but our parents wouldn't give in. It took a lot of prodding, both literally and figuratively speaking, before we had our way. And boy, was it FUN! Eli nearly conked herself out when she was swept downstream to the rocks!"

Eli snorted, and threw back, "Yeah right, look who's talking. YOUR canoe overturned, and it took you all of two minutes to right yourself again!"

Frodo chuckled when he heard this talk about going down rapids in boats. _They make it sound like such a wonderful experience. _He glanced at Sam, and noticed that his friend seemed to be shaking. "How can they talk about boats like that, Mister Frodo?" he asked in a whisper. "If they can still seem so jolly and gay at the prospect of having to ride boats, then they must be really very brave."

Frodo smiled, and patted Sam on the shoulder. "You are right to say they are brave, but I think that their eagerness to get on boats is little proof of that."

They quickly moved to prepare the boats, loading them up with all the things they would need for the journey. The Elves had given them lembas, or waybread, and these they carefully stowed away in their packs. When they were through they began to go into the boats. The Company was arranged in this way: Aragorn, Frodo and Sam were in one boat; Boromir, Merry and Pippin were in another; Legolas and Gimli were in a third; and Camille and Eli shared the fourth. The goods and packs were divided between the last two boats. The boats were moved and steered with short-handled paddles that had broad leaf-shaped blades. When all was ready Aragorn led them on a trial up the Silverlode. The current was swift and they went forward slowly, but the boat that Camille and Eli maneuvered was perhaps the most smooth-moving of all four. The two girls proved to be excellent boatmen, dipping their paddles in and out of the water in synch with each other, as if they were following a certain beat.

They turned a sharp bend in the river, and there, sailing proudly down the stream towards them, they saw a swan of great size. The water rippled on either side of the white breast beneath its curving neck. Its beak shone like burnished gold, and its eyes glittered like jet set in yellow stones; its huge white wings were half lifted. A music came down the river as it drew nearer; and suddenly they perceived that it was a ship, wrought and carved with Elven-skill in the likeness of a bird. Two Elves clad in white steered it with black paddles. In the midst of the vessel sat Celeborn, and behind him stood Galadriel, tall and white; a circlet of golden flowers was in her hair, and in her hand she held a harp, and she sang. 

Aragorn stayed his boat as the Swan-ship drew alongside. The Lady ended her song and greeted them. "We have come to bid our last farewell," she said, "and to speed you with blessings from our land."

"Though you have been our guests," said Celeborn, "you have not yet eaten with us, and we bid you, therefore, to a parting feast, here between the flowing waters that will bear you far from Lorien."

And so they had their feast on the green grass of the hythe, but Frodo ate and drank little, heeding only the beauty of the Lady and her voice. He remembered how she had looked when he had peered into the Mirror of Galadriel. Her beauty was no longer terrifying, but she seemed to him present and yet remote, as the Elves appeared to Men in later days: a living vision of that which has already been left far behind by the flowing streams of Time.

After they had eaten and drunk, Galadriel rose from the grass, and signaled to her handmaidens. They disappeared, and came back moments later bearing certain objects with them. She turned to them, and said, "We have partaken of the feast of parting, and the shadows fall between us. But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim now offer you in memory of Lothlorien." Then she called to each in turn.

"Here is the gift of Celeborn and Galadriel to the leader of your Company," she said to Aragorn, and she gave him a sheath that had been made to fit his sword. It was overlaid with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought with silver and gold, and on it were set in Elven-runes formed of many gems the name Anduril and the lineage of the sword. With this she gave him a green stone, and gave him the name Elessar, Elfstone of the house of Elendil. She then turned to Boromir, and gave him a belt of gold; to Merry and Pippin she gave small silver belts, each with a clasp wrought like a golden flower. To Legolas she gave a bow such as the Galadhrim used, longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood, and strung with a string of Elf-hair. With it went a quiver of arrows.

"For you little gardener and lover of trees," she said to Sam, "I have only a small gift." She put into his hand a little box of plain gray wood, unadorned save for a single silver rune upon the lid. "Here is set 'G' for 'Galadriel', although it may also stand for 'garden' in your tongue. In this box there is earth from my orchard, and such blessings as Galadriel has still to bestow upon it. It will not keep you on your road, nor defend you against any peril; but if you keep it and see your home again at last, then perhaps it may reward you. Though you should find all barren and laid waste, there will be few gardens in Middle-Earth that will bloom like your garden, if you sprinkle this earth there. Then you may remember Galadriel, and catch a glimpse of far-off Lorien, that you have seen only in our winter. For our spring and our summer have gone by, and they will never be seen on earth again, save in memory."

Sam went red to the ears and muttered something inaudible, as he clutched the box and bowed as well as he could.

"And what gift would a Dwarf ask of the Elves," said Galadriel, turning to Gimli.

"None, Lady," answered Gimli. "It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadhrim, and to have heard her gentle words."

"Hear all ye Elves!" she cried to those about her. "Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious! Yet surely, son of Gloin, you desire something that I could give? Name it, I bid you! You shall not be the only guest here without a gift."

"There is nothing, Lady Galadriel," said Gimli, bowing low and stammering. "Nothing, unless it might be – unless it is permitted to ask, nay, to name a single strand of your hair, which surpasses the gold of the earth as surely as the stars surpass the gems of the mine. I do not ask for such a gift. But you commanded me to name my desire."

The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment, and Celeborn gazed at the Dwarf in wonder, but the Lady smiled. "It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues," she said, "yet it is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous. And how shall I refuse, since I commanded him to speak? But tell me, what would you do with such a gift?"

"Treasure it, Lady," he answered, "in memory of your words to me at our first meeting. And if I ever return to the smithies of my home, it shall be set in imperishable crystal to be an heirloom of my house, and a pledge of goodwill between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days."

Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli's hand. "These words shall go with the gift," she said. "I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now in vain: on one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Gloin, that your hands shall flow with gold, but over you gold shall have no dominion."

"To you, Young One," said Galadriel, turning now to Camille, "I give this." She stood up, and around Camille's throat clasped a silver chain. At the end of the chain dangled a pendant in the shape of a mallorn leaf, green as they are in spring, yet veined with the same shade of gold that they became in autumn and winter. It was the Pendant of Lothlorien, symbol of the Lord and Lady of the Wood and all Wood Elves. 

The Lady smiled down at the young girl, and said, "This may seem useless to one of such power as yourself, but should the light of hope that burns in you and your friend chase away the shadow of despair that hangs over all of us, then may this pendant remind you of Galadriel and her counsel on matters of the heart. For though you once dreamt alone, you no longer have to do so. Cerin Amroth shall forever bear witness to the bond you formed beneath its canopy, as shall the moon and Earendil star." 

She turned then to Eli. "And you, Young One; take this gift." She took a small wooden box, and opened it. Within was a pendant on a silver chain, but the pendant was different. It was an almost ethereal swirl of silver made to look like a wisp of mist as it rises around the Falls of the Bruinen in Rivendell, and in the middle of the swirl was a diamond, white like starlight. 

Galadriel smiled as she put the necklace around Eli's neck, and as she did so, she spoke thus, "About your throat I now lay the Pendant of Imladris, as it shall be called until the end of days. For this is a gift that comes from Rivendell, with special indications from Elrond himself that it was to be given to you. Although the mists of indecisiveness now cloud your mind, there will come a time when love will open up the way to you, and you shall find eternal bliss the likes of which you have never known."

"And you, Ringbearer," she said, turning to Frodo. "I come to you last who are not last in my thoughts. For you I have prepared this." She held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved it, and rays of white light sprang from her hand. "In this phial," she said, "is caught the light of Earendil star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. Remember Galadriel and her Mirror!"

Frodo took the phial, and for a moment, as it shone beautifully between them, her saw her again standing like a queen, great and beautiful, but no longer terrible. He bowed, but found no words to say.

Now, as the yellow noon rose high above them, the Fellowship went to their boats. All at last had been made ready. Crying farewell, the Elves of Lothlorien with their gray poles thrust them out into the flowing stream, and the rippling waters bore them slowly away. The travelers sat without moving or speaking as they swept past the Lady Galadriel, who stood on the green bank, watching them through sad and solemn blue eyes. They turned to watch her pass, for it seemed to them that Lothlorien drifted away from them like a great ship while they sat still.

Soon the white form of the Lady was small and distant, and before he finally lost sight of her, Frodo thought he saw her lift her arms in farewell, and far but piercing-clear on the following wind came the sound of her voice singing. And the sound lingered for a long, long while, until they were swept round a bend, and Lothlorien disappeared from their sight.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Whoo-wee! Done at last! I had a HARD time thinking up what the girls were going to get. Since their weapons were already improved, I couldn't give them that, and I most certainly couldn't give them any form of armor, as they're going to get those later on in the story…oops. I just gave a part of my plot away! Damn! Oh well, too late for regrets now. Next chapter, we'll watch as our Fellowship float down the Anduin towards Amon Hen. And before I go any further, I'd like to apologize to anyone out there who has read the books. I really DO NOT understand this part of the book, since I tend to mix up the names of places. Just thought I should warn you.


	28. Chapter Twenty-seven: Gollum, Rapids, an...

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Gollum, Rapids, and Flying Shadows 

Camille sighed as she dragged the boat up onto the shore. It was night, and it was darker than usual. She smirked. _Or maybe I've just gotten too used to the bright moon and starlight in Lothlorien. _She sighed more heavily then, and clutched her pendant as she looked back to the way they had come, her thoughts straying to her time in that enchanted place. _I don't think I'll ever know a place as beautiful as that…_

A gentle hand fell on her shoulder, and she turned to look upon Legolas' finely chiseled features. He was gazing down at her with worry, and when he spoke, there was a concerned lilt in his voice. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Just missing Lorien, that's all." She frowned then. "The outside world is so dark, not like Lorien. At least there I could see where I was going even without a lamp, since the light of the stars and the moon was enough. But here…it's like a dark cloud was suddenly cast over the sky that blocks out all kinds of light from the moon and stars."

Legolas' grip on her shoulders tightened slightly, and she felt him draw her closer, comforting her. "As we go further south, the influence of the Evil One in Mordor grows. He knows that we Elves love the pure light of the moon and stars, so he blocks them from us by shrouding them with the veil of his malice. But the Golden Wood cannot be touched, so long as the power of Galadriel lies upon that place."

Camille smiled then. "Well that's good to hear. I'd kick myself if I knew that Sauron could get to that place, and if he did, he'd have a VERY mad Summoner on his tail."

Legolas chuckled softly into her ear, and spun her around to face him. "That is what I so adore about you, my love. Your fiery personality always keeps me on my toes. I never know what you are going to say next." He leaned down to her, and lightly brushed his lips over hers. "Now come, the others are probably looking for us by now."

Camille giggled as Legolas led her towards the campsite. "Do you think the others know yet? About 'us', I mean?"

The Elf-Prince shrugged. "I do not know. I have told only Aragorn about it, though I suspect that Gimli may know already."

When the appeared at the campsite, Gimli looked up from where he had been sharpening his axe, and a mischievous grin appeared through his beard. "There you are! You two had us wondering as to your whereabouts. I thought that you had taken her on a nighttime tryst in some clearing, Elf!"

Camille immediately blushed a bright red that could be seen even in the darkest night. _What?! _She turned to Legolas, begging him with her eyes to deny that, but she felt her stomach twist into knots when she noticed the grin on his face.

Legolas smiled as he put an arm around her waist, and pulled her close. "Indeed, I WAS thinking of such things, Master Gimli. However, I believed that it was not proper to go without telling any of you where we were headed, that is why we have returned." He turned to her then, and winked boyishly. "Now they know, my love. Come, we have our own business to attend to."

That did it. Although she knew he was only teasing, Camille didn't really appreciate it. She narrowed her eyes at him, and jerked her arm away. "More talk about THAT thing, Legolas, and I'll have you singing like a chipmunk for the rest of your life."

Eli suddenly snorted over her food, and made a pitiful attempt to stifle her laughter. Soon her laughter was ringing throughout the camp, and the rest of the Fellowship was staring oddly at her, since they really didn't understand what was so funny about Camille's remark. While she laughed her head off, Camille couldn't help but let her mouth twitch into a grin.

When Eli had finally stopped laughing, Boromir turned to her, and asked, "What did you find so funny about what Camille said?"

Eli snorted again, and looked at the Gondorian, eyes twinkling with mirth. "Better that you didn't know, Boromir. Though you're a grown man, there's still a tiny twinge of innocence in you, and I wouldn't want to make all of it go down the drain."

Aragorn raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say? That in your world, men are worse than here?"

"No. What she's trying to say is that we girls are not as innocent in our thoughts as you'd like to think," Camille said with a snicker. "Like I sometimes say to Eli, 'Get your mind out of the gutter, girl!'."

While the rest of the Fellowship puzzled over what they meant by their words, Camille sensed a strange presence behind her. She jerked, and whirled around, looking into the gloom. She thought she saw a pair of eyes glowing in the shadows, but they quickly disappeared, accompanied by the sound of feet padding away through leaves and underbrush.

"What is it?"

Camille glanced up at Legolas, and noticed that his face was serious, all thoughts of the game now forgotten. He seemed to have heard the sounds as well, and his keen Elven eyes were narrowed, attempting to pierce the darkness. "I don't know," she muttered in response to his question. "It didn't feel like an Orc, but all the same, it didn't feel nice."

Legolas turned back to the camp, where the others were starting to lay down to sleep. Only Frodo and Aragorn remained awake. "Maybe we should tell Aragorn about it."

Camille nodded in agreement, and the two of them walked over to where the Man and the Hobbit sat. As Camille started to take her seat, she said, "There's something following us, and I don't like it at all."

Frodo's blue eyes widened then. "So you have felt it as well?"

"Aye, we have," Legolas replied. "I have felt it following us since we left Moria, but I wished to think that it was just something my restless mind wrought out of nothing, as the darkness in that place troubled me greatly. But now I believe my suspicions to be true."

"Gollum," Aragorn muttered darkly. "For that is the name of the thing which follows us now. You are right, Legolas, when you say that he has followed us through Moria. I believe that Eli sensed his presence as well while we rested in one of Khazad-dum's great halls; that was why she was so restive for the duration of our journey through the Mines. I attempted to catch him once or twice at night, but he is wilier than a fox and more slippery than a fish. I had hoped that our journey down the river would foil him, but alas! He has proven himself to be an excellent waterman. He lies atop a log, and uses his feet and hands as paddles."

Camille smirked. "Nice work. But now that you tell me he can follow us even through the water, we're going to have to watch our backs more carefully now. If whatever Gandalf told me and Eli about the guy is true, then I have the feeling he might come round one night and strangle one of us." _Frodo, specifically,_ she thought sadly as she looked at the now very troubled Hobbit.

A light of determination sprang into Aragorn's eyes. "We must be take more caution now. I shall take up the watch tonight."

"I shall go with you," Legolas said as he took up his bow. "I would like to put an arrow through that creature's foul heart, to repay him for all the trouble he has caused and for all that he might cause in the future."

Camille sighed, and called to them as they left to take up their positions, "Take care, you two!"

Aragorn smiled with brotherly affection before turning away, and Legolas mouthed the words, "I love you, and sleep well" before turning away and looking out towards the forest, keeping his watchful gaze towards the shadows.

*      *      *

Eli sighed as she continued to paddle, the dreariness of the night hanging low over her. _This is so boring! _It was currently the eighth night of their journey, and it had been seven days since that little incident they had with Gollum, and everything had been smooth sailing – literally and figuratively speaking – from there. Though there were now double watches every night, there was still no sighting of hide or hair of Gollum.

Suddenly, from Boromir's boat Pippin called, "Ah, what we need is a song! Eli, would you mind singing something for us? It's been much too long since we last heard you and Camille sing."

Eli glanced at Camille, who was paddling behind her, as if asking for confirmation. When her best friend grinned, she nodded, and said, "Sure Pip! Let me think of something…" At last, a song popped in her head. "Okay, I think I got one. Damn, but I wish I had my guitar with me. Anyway, here goes…" And she started to sing…

_Turn it inside out so I can see_

_The part of you that's drifting over me_

_And when I wake you're never there_

_But when I sleep you're everywhere, you're everywhere_

_Just tell me how I got this far_

_Just tell me why you're here and who you are_

_Cause every time I look, you're never there_

_And every time I sleep you're always there_

_Cause you're everywhere to me_

_And when I close my eyes it's you I see_

_You're everything I know that makes me believe_

_I'm not alone, I'm not alone_

Camille then took up the next part of the song…

_I recognize the way you make me feel_

_It's hard to think that you might not be real_

_I sense it now, the water's getting deep_

_I try to wash the pain away from me, away from me_

_Cause you're everywhere to me_

_And when I close my eyes it's you I see_

_You're everything I know that makes me believe_

_I'm not alone, I'm not alone_

Eli took up the next stanza…

_And when I touch your hand_

_It's then I understand_

_The beauty that's within _

_It's now that we begin_

Then it was Camille's turn...

_You always light my way_

_I hope there never comes a day_

_No matter where I go_

_I always feel you so_

They sang together at the chorus…

_Cause you're everywhere to me,_

_And when I close my eyes it's you I see_

_You're everything I know that makes me believe_

_I'm not alone_

_Cause you're everywhere to me_

_And when I catch my breath, it's you I breathe_

_You're everything I know that makes me believe_

_I'm not alone_

And Eli ended the song, her voice suddenly throaty and sensuous…

_You're in everyone I see_

_So tell me_

_Do you see me?_

Camille giggled from her seat behind her, the paddle still dipping in and out of the river's dark waters. "I've never heard you croon a tune the way you have tonight, kid! What's on your mind, huh? Thinking about someone special?"

Eli shrugged evasively, though her fingers strayed to the Pendant of Imladris as it hung beneath her clothes. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Just felt like trying it out." She smiled then. "Maybe it's because I have an audience tonight."

Camille rolled her eyes, but kept quiet. The Hobbits seemed to have been content with the little show, and they were now looking to the stretch of river ahead of them.

Suddenly Sam gave a cry. Startled out of their individual reveries, the Fellowship started to pay attention to their surroundings. Eli peered ahead, and felt the adrenaline start pumping through her veins. Dark shapes loomed out of the river, and there was the sound of swirling water. A strong current made all the boats swing towards the eastern shore, and Eli realized that there was a clear path there. As they were swept aside the Fellowship could see, now very close, the pale foam of the River lashing against sharp rocks that were thrust out far into the stream like a ridge of teeth. The boats were all huddled together.

"Aragorn!" shouted Boromir as their boat bumped into the leader. "This is madness! We cannot dare the Rapids by night! But no boat can live in Sarn Gebir, be it night or day!"

Aragorn turned around then. "We might still have a chance!" He glanced at Eli and Camille. "You have experience in maneuvering boats through rapids, do you not?!"

Eli's eyes widened. _What does he think we are?! We can shoot rapids, but doing it in the dark is ridiculous! _"We do!" she hollered in response, "and maybe we could teach you guys how to get through, but I don't want to go down white water and black rocks at night! We shoot rapids, but not in the dark! That's suicide!"

"Back then, back!" cried Aragorn. "Turn! Turn if you can!" 

Knowing his orders before he had even spoken them, Camille and Eli drove their paddles deep into the water, paddling with all their might. But still, even for them it was hard going, and the eastern shore loomed ever closer. 

Eli cursed as she struggled to make the boat turned around. _Damn it, if this keeps going we're going to ground ourselves on the shoals! _She heard Boromir yelling from the other boat, and she knew he was thinking the same thing.

At that moment she heard the sharp twang of many bowstrings, and several arrows whizzed past them. Fortunately they missed Eli and Camille, but the others weren't as lucky. One struck Frodo between the shoulders and he lurched forward with a cry, letting go of his paddle: but the arrow fell back, foiled by his hidden coat of mail. Another passed through Aragorn's hood; and a third stood fast in the gunwale of the boat, close by Merry's hand.

After making sure that her hood was pulled over her head, Eli risked a look back, and noticed that the eastern shore was lined thickly with Orcs. _Damn! _From the other boats, she could hear the cries of the others when they saw who was attacking them. 

"This is Gollum's work, or I'm a Warg," Camille muttered as she kept on paddling. Eli nodded, and continued to do her work. 

But it was useless. The current was just too strong for them. Eli grimaced. _If these were motorboats it would be easy, but we're only using paddles! _She hissed as an arrow glanced off her left hand, blood oozing from the nick in her skin. _That's the last straw! If the river seems intent on taking us to them, I'm going to force it to take us AWAY from them! _Dipping her uninjured hand into the river, she closed her eyes, and concentrated. As she did so, her right hand slowly stirred circles in the dark water, moving it towards the western shore.

The boat gave a sharp lurch forward, jerking Eli out of her intense state of concentration. When she looked up, she realized that a new current was now pushing them swiftly away from the eastern bank towards the western one. She sighed, and closed her eyes. _Thank you, mighty River Anduin. _

When their little flotilla of boats ground themselves onto the west shore, she watched Legolas leap out of his boat, his bow in one hand and an arrow in another. He nocked the arrow, and pointed it at the eastern side, looking for a target to shoot. But then, a large shadow came over the face of the moon, and hid it. It was moving far too quickly to be a cloud, and when it passed over them, Eli felt a chill go through her. _What the hell is that?! _

Suddenly, the great bow of Lorien sang. Shrill went the arrow from the Elven-string. There was a harsh croaking scream as the thing fell out of the air to land on the eastern shore. There were cries and yells for a moment, but soon, silence reigned. Neither cry nor shaft now came from the east shore.

Though they were now fairly certain that they were safe for the time being, they did not go onto the shore to make camp and light a fire. They stayed in the boats, which were moored side-by-side. 

"Praised be the bow of Galadriel, and the hand and eye of Legolas!" said Gimli as he munched a wafer of lembas. "That was a mighty shot in the dark, my friend!"

"And praised be the powers of Elisabeth over the waters of the Anduin!" added Boromir as he glanced at where Eli was sitting. "How did you do such a thing? I do not remember you having such a power before."

"I didn't," Eli admitted. "Actually, Camille and I have talked about it before, and we've reached an agreement that the further along the road we go, the more our powers evolve, or develop, so to speak. As more and more days go by, the stronger our powers get. And at the rate they're evolving, we might be twice as strong as we were when we left Moria."

"That is good news then," said Aragorn from his boat. "If all goes well your powers might be strong enough to take on the Dark Lord in Mordor." He sighed then, and shook his head. "But we still have our river journey to think about. We shall set out at first light tomorrow."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, that's done! Whoopee, I'm nearly done with FOTR!!! Most likely after the next chapter, I'll be moving on to TT. At last, I've figured out (more or less) the places that lie along the way! Sarn Gebir is the name of the rapids they just encountered; Emyn Muil is the part of the Anduin right after Sarn Gebir that leads to Gondor. The Argonath is the northern passage to Gondor, and that's where the huge statues of the kings are. Just a little past that are Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw. Also, the song I used above is entitled "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch from her album "The Spirit Room". Anyway, let's move on with the story: the Fellowship makes it past the Argonath and land on Amon Hen. What troubles await them there? Read on my friends, read on! 


	29. Chapter Twenty-eight: And in the Dayligh...

Chapter Twenty-Eight: And in the Daylight Shall Shadows Fall 

Camille paddled in quiet, as she looked ahead, the River Anduin stretching out before her. She and Eli decided to hang out towards the back of the Fellowship as they made their way down the river, heading towards the Argonath and Amon Hen, where Aragorn said they would stop and decide their next course of action.

The moment the sun rose that day, Aragorn woke them up from their sleep, and said that they now had to find a way to get down the rest of the Anduin. He suggested taking a certain footpath that led through the underbrush to come out at a small port at the end of the rapids of Sarn Gebir. Of course, the hardest part would be carrying the boats and the packs down the road to the port.

When the work of carrying the boats was divided, Camille realized that she and Eli weren't required to bring anything except for the lightest of the packs. Most of the burden that was supposed to be theirs was placed on Aragorn and Boromir. After a bit of coaxing and much prodding and arguing, Camille and Eli finally got the right to carry their own boat and packs. Since they had done it once before, while on that infamous trip to Colorado, they didn't complain at all when the road started to get rougher and rockier. But still, they were much relieved when they finally put to the water again.

She frowned at the fog that surrounded them. _This fog is too thick. I can barely see past Eli's head._ But slowly, the mist cleared, and as they continued to paddle, they found themselves approaching two massive pillars of rock. As they drifted closer, Camille realized that they were carved in the likeness of kings, with palms outstretched in warning to all those who journeyed down the river.

In front of her, she heard Eli gasp in awe. Only one word came from her lips: "Wow."

"Wow is right," Camille murmured as she raised her head to look at the faces of the statues. They were stern and frowning, looking towards the north with furrowed brows. 

In front of them, Aragorn cried, "Behold the Argonath, the Pillars of Kings! We shall pass through them soon. Keep the boats in line, and as far apart as you can! Hold the middle of the stream!"

Even as he spoke they passed through a chasm, and all around her echoed the sounds of rushing water and screaming wind. Camille winced at the high-pitched whistling sound the wind made. She glanced at Legolas, and noticed the look of irritation and resignation mingled on his handsome features. She understood him. _After all, if the wind is irritating to me, then all the more so to him._

The passageway was long, but they were able to move through it quickly enough. The current spit them out of the chasm, and into a long oval lake that Aragorn called the Nen Hithoel. "We are coming to Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw," he told them. "We may drift a while and let the current take us, but we must soon hasten on our way and make for the right arm of the river."

The Fellowship allowed themselves to pull out their paddles and stopped long enough to eat, but they soon got on their way. Aragorn led them towards the western side of the lake, and they landed on a vast green lawn that stretched all the way to the foot of Amon Hen. "Here we shall rest for the meantime," he said. "This is the lawn of Parth Galen: a fair place in the summer days of old. Let us hope that no evil has yet come here."

As soon as they had landed, Camille leaped out of the boat, and stretched her stiff muscles, bending backwards slightly to relieve tension. "Alleluia! My rear's starting to get sore from sitting in that boat for close to twenty-four hours, and my shoulders ache like hell from the paddling."

She was glad that no one paid attention to her complaining. She didn't want to make it sound like she couldn't handle the pressures of the journey. But, like always, Legolas had heard her, and he walked up to her then, leading her to where the rest of the Fellowship was seated. Seating her down on the grass, he sat on a low rock just behind her, and with his long fingers began to slowly ease out the kinks and knots in her shoulders.

Camille let out a long, soft sigh, and slowly relaxed beneath the Elf's touch. She smiled, but didn't look up at him. "Thanks." In response, he increased the pressure slightly, acknowledging her words.

The Fellowship was silent for a long while, but Aragorn soon broke it. "The day has come at last," he said: "the day of choice which we have long delayed. What shall now become of our Company that has traveled so far in Fellowship? Shall we turn west with Boromir and go to the wars of Gondor; or turn east to the Fear and Shadow; or shall we break our fellowship and go this way and that as each may choose? Whatever we may do must be done soon. We cannot long halt here. The enemy is on the eastern shore, we know; but I fear that the Orcs may already be on this side of the water."

There was a long silence, but then, Eli said, "Look you guys, it really isn't our place to decide what to do. Although I hate to say this, it's really up to Frodo." She turned to the Hobbit, who was seated with Aragorn on one side and Sam on the other. "I really don't like putting so much pressure on you since you've already got the Ring to deal with, but you have to make your own decision." She sighed. "This is really one of those times when I wish Gandalf were here."

"But he isn't, is he?" Camille sighed. She looked up at Frodo then, smiling at him in an attempt to comfort him. "Listen Frodo, it doesn't really matter what you choose to do; Eli and I will stick with your decision." She lifted her hands slowly upwards, and stared at her palms. "My powers are getting stronger as each day passes, and so are Eli's. Whether we go to Gondor, or Mordor, or choose our own paths, by the time we reach our destination we might be strong enough to call upon the Spirits themselves like what Eli tried in Moria, and with their help we might be able to hold Sauron back until you can destroy the Ring." She shook her head. "But don't let me make decisions for you, Frodo. Do what you want to do. If there is one important thing I learned while in Lothlorien, it is to follow one's heart. Follow what your heart tells you, Frodo, and I'm certain it won't steer you wrong."

Frodo was silent for a long while. At last, he spoke, "I know that haste is needed, yet I cannot choose. The burden is heavy. Give me an hour longer, and I will speak. Let me be alone!"

Aragorn looked at him with kindly pity. "Very well, Frodo son of Drogo," he said. "You shall have an hour, and you shall be alone. We will stay here for a while. But do not stray far or out of call."

For a while, Frodo simply sat there, but after a moment, he got up, and started walking away. Camille noticed the restraint the others exhibited, and noted almost immediately that the eyes of Boromir seemed to follow Frodo intently, until he passed out of sight in the trees at the foot of Amon Hen.

*      *      *

Eli looked out towards the lake in irritation, her impatience growing with each minute that passed. _What the hell is taking Frodo so long to make up his mind?! _Time was short, and they couldn't waste it sitting around here. She looked at the others, and noticed that they were talking about lots of things: Gondor's history and what could be found in it; their adventures; the loss of Gandalf; the Shire, and sometimes about their world. But time and time again, the topic of the conversation gravitated towards the Ring, and what Frodo was planning to do.

"He is debating which course is the most desperate, I think," Aragorn said. "And well he may. It is now more hopeless than ever for the Company to go east, since we are being tracked by Gollum, and must fear that the secret of our journey is already betrayed. But Minas Tirith is no nearer to the Fire and the destruction of the Burden.

"We may remain there for a while and make a brave stand; but the Lord Denethor and all his men cannot hope to do what even Elrond said was beyond his power: either to keep the Burden secret, or to hold off the full might of the Enemy when he comes to take it. Which way would any of us choose in Frodo's place? Now indeed we miss Gandalf the most."

"If I were in Frodo's shoes – or feet, since he doesn't wear any – I'd probably just take the Ring on my own to Mordor and let the others do what they want," Camille said quietly. "And besides, a smaller group or one person will be less detectable than an entire group of ten. That way, Minas Tirith will get the help it needs while the Ring will be destroyed at the same time."

"That is a good ploy, but remember, the Dark Lord is mightier than you presume him to be," Gimli muttered. "A smaller group may be harder to find, but will also make the members more vulnerable to attacks if they are indeed found."

"And I will not stand for it!" cried Merry. "We can't leave Frodo! Pippin and I always intended to go wherever he went, and we still do! But we did not realize what that would mean. It seemed different so far away, in the Shire or in Rivendell. It would be mad and cruel to let Frodo go alone to Mordor. Why can't we stop him?"

"Begging your pardon," said Sam. "I don't think you understand my master at all. He isn't hesitating about which way to go. Of course not! What's the good of Minas Tirith anyway? To him, I mean, begging your pardon, Master Boromir," he added, and turned. 

Eli's eyes widened. Boromir was gone. _What the- _Knowing that something had just gone terribly wrong, she leaped up, and yelled, "Damn it, he's gone off! I bet he's going to try to take the Ring from Frodo!"

"Why would you say that?!" Pippin squeaked.

"I felt it in him the day I saw him at the Council." Here, Eli's eyes narrowed. "I didn't like the feel of his aura then, and I still don't, but I just had to put up with it since he was a member of the Fellowship and because I gradually began to accept him as a good friend. But the evil of the Ring has slowly been eating away at him, and I think that now it has finally consumed him."

Suddenly a shriek rose from the woods, and everyone shuddered. "Orcs!" Camille cried.

The Hobbits flew into a panic. Heedless of Aragorn's warnings, they flew off into the forest, crying out Frodo's name as they did so. Eli glanced at Camille, and the latter nodded at her. She drew out her sword, and shouted back to Aragorn as she and Camille ran off, "You guys can look for Frodo and take care of the Hobbits! Leave Boromir to us!"

The two of them ignored the calls of Aragorn and Legolas, and continued on their way, following the sounds the Orcs made as they crashed through the brush. Camille had already nocked an arrow in her bow, the gold gleaming in the sun, the rubies casting blood-red shafts of light. In Eli's hand glinted four kunai, ready to be thrown and the slightest moment.

They came upon the Orcs soon enough, less than five hundred meters away from the lake. The moment they saw them Camille's arrows and Eli's kunai were winging their way through the air, killing more than a dozen Orcs before they could even be engaged in hand-to-hand combat. But when they got too close, the swords were put to use. Between the two of them, they managed to take out three-fourths of the troop they had come upon. The rest ran off shrieking.

Eli grinned at Camille. _Our first time to fight without the others, and it's a success. _The two of them proceeded to pick up their daggers and arrows, respectively.

Suddenly, a great horn blew, just several more meters away from their current position. Eli jerked up, ears listening for it. _What was that?_

Knowing that there was no time to think, Eli sprang towards the source of the sound, and came upon a clearing. She cleared out the remaining Orcs with her kunai, and looked towards a tall figure leaning against a tree. And she gasped.

The tall figure was Boromir, but there were four black-fletched arrows sticking out of his body. Eli rushed to him. "Boromir! What the hell-"

The Gondorian let out a wheezing cough, then said, "No…time… The Orcs…they got the little ones… Merry…Pippin…" 

Eli's normally calm mind was now filled with panic. "Where? Where did they take them?"

Boromir lifted a trembling hand, pointing towards an uncertain direction, towards the trees. He looked up at her, his eyes pleading. "Follow…them…save them…"

Eli gulped, attempting to hold back the tears. "I can't just LEAVE you here!"

Boromir shook his head, grasping her hand tightly in his. "No…time… Go! Go!" 

Hesitantly, Eli stood up, and squeezed his hand one last time. "Don't worry, I promise to bring them back. Alive." With that, she ran off through the bush, hot on the trail of the Orcs that made off with Merry and Pippin. She closed her eyes to stave her tears, knowing in her heart that it would be the last time she would see Boromir alive again.

*      *      *

Camille was shocked beyond reckoning when Eli suddenly leaped off towards the source of the loud sound. "Eli! Eli, wait!" She cursed. _Damn it! That girl doesn't know what she's getting herself into!!! _

From behind her, Aragorn burst through the bushes, Anduril glimmering in his hand. He signaled to her as he ran. "We must hurry! The horn of Boromir has sounded! He is in need!"

Realizing that the direction Aragorn was heading was the same one that Eli had gone to, Camille lost all her hesitations and followed him. They ran until they arrived at a small glade, which had previously been a scene of a fierce battle. Camille looked around, and noticed that some of Eli's kunai were lying scattered around, all of them buried in the bodies of Orcs. _But where is she?_

She looked towards a figure that was lying against a tree, and she gasped, tears coming unbidden to her eyes. "Boromir…" Her bow dropped from her hand as she ran towards the fallen Gondorian. The tears fell, leaving tracks over her soiled face. She dug her fingers through his gloves, pressing them against his wrist. There was a pulse, but it was fluttering and weak. She shook her head. "Boromir, hang in there, please…"

His eyes opened the moment he heard her voice, and the ghost of the smile he used to flash in her direction appeared on his face. "Camille…I was…wondering if I…would see you… Eli, she…she went after…Merry…and Pippin…"

Camille shook her head. "Keep quiet Boromir, save your strength. I'm going to try to heal you-"

"No…do not. It is…too…late for me…" Boromir swallowed, and then said, "I have…feared to speak this…but now I shall. Long…have I watched…you………but you…never knew…that I loved…you. My…love shall be…unrequited…but I die…knowing that…someone will…love you in…my…stead, and…who is…worthy of…your love. That…is enough…for me." He lifted her hand to his lips, and pressed a fervent kiss to the back of her hand. "Farewell…dear love!"

Camille felt her heart crumple up inside her chest until it was the size of a pebble. The tears were now a raging waterfall that coursed down her cheeks, which were currently alternating between white and red. She stood up, staggering backwards, Boromir's words ringing clearly in her mind. _He loved me?!?! All this time, all of our journeying together as friends, and never once…never once he gave a sign! _All at once the times she had spent with Boromir came back to her, how she chatting with him during long treks or during camp, the mirth twinkling in his gray eyes, his light laughter ringing out at whatever they were talking about. And the more she remembered, the more she realized that he HAD given signs. Only now did she see the veiled look of longing in his eyes whenever they spoke to each other, the gentle touches on her shoulder whenever she was tired, his quiet reassurances whenever her spirits dropped down low…

She felt her back collide with something warm and solid, and two strong arms rise up around her waist. She let out a loud wail, and turned around, burying her face into Legolas' chest. She couldn't say anything, only a single two-letter word: "No, no, no, no, no…"

Legolas held her close, attempting to soothe her. "Hush, my love… Please, tell me what ails you? What causes you to tremble so?"

Camille folded her arms up against her body, as if trying to fit herself in her entirety into the circle of Legolas' embrace. "Legolas…Boromir…he… And all this time, I never knew…"

One hand loosened its grip around her waist, trailing up to her face and wiping away her tears. "Calm down love, please stop weeping. Tell me what is the matter."

Camille paused for a while to draw her breath, and quietly, so that only Legolas could hear, she said, "Legolas, he loved me. Before he died, Boromir told me. He loved me."

*      *      *

"Before he died, he told me. He loved me."

Those words made Legolas' heart suddenly twinge with a sharp ache. And it was due to a mixture of emotions. _Boromir, a good comrade and friend…he loved Camille? And now he is dead… _The emotions that accompanied this revelation were many. Jealousy, from knowing that he had a rival; relief, from knowing that his rival was already gone; and pain, from knowing that his friend was now dead. 

He held Camille close to him, rubbing a hand along her back to ease away the pain of both her body and her soul. He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Hush, my love, hush. We have but a short time to grieve for this loss."

Soon, Camille's weeping ceased, and she drew away from him, her face tear-stained and her eyes dull and listless. He gently brushed the loose strands of hair that clung to her face, and laid a kiss on her forehead. "Come now, we must give him a proper burial."

Camille only nodded as she followed him to the spot where Boromir lay. Aragorn had taken the time to remove the arrows, and the body of their comrade was now lying on the ground. 

Legolas spoke then. "We cannot leave him here, lying amongst these foul Orcs like carrion."

"But we must be swift," Gimli muttered. "Before he passed away, he told Aragorn that he had sent Eli to follow the Orcs that had taken Merry and Pippin. If we wish to meet her again, we must be quick." 

"But we do not know if the Ringbearer is with them or not," said Aragorn. "Are we to abandon him? Must we not seek him first? An evil choice is now before us!"

"Then let us do first what we must do," said Legolas. "We have not the time or the tools to bury our comrade fitly, or to raise a mound over him. A cairn we might build."

"The labor would be hard and long: there are no stones that we could use nearer than the waterside," said Gimli.

Camille stepped forward, speaking at last. "I have an idea." She bent down over Boromir's body, and placed something minute on top of his chest. When Legolas looked more closely, he noticed that it was a seed. _What does she intend to do?_

The girl was now sitting silently beside the body, eyes closed in concentration. And then, suddenly, the seed burst forth with small leaves, and roots that arched over Boromir's body and plunged deep into the ground. They twined over themselves repeatedly, until at last they hid the Gondorian's body within them. The roots thickened, the trunk grew higher, and the branches spread. Leaves sprouted, only to be shadowed out by a multitude of pale pink blossoms that fluttered in the gentle breeze and filled the air with a delicate scent.

Camille sighed, and got up, staring at the flowers on the lower branches of the tree. "Beneath this cherry tree lies Boromir of Gondor: a noble Man, a brave comrade, and a kind friend. May this tree stand to mark the spot where he fell, guarding his body until the end. May the blossoms of this tree never wither until the White City and Middle-Earth should achieve freedom from the power of the Dark Lord. Should his dream be realized, may this tree flower every spring, and when they wither, may the wind bring the petals to the White City, where his soul may rest for all eternity."

And so it was that Boromir, son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor was buried. The cherry tree bloomed and blossomed, and in after days, when the people of Gondor saw the wind filled with the petals that fell down upon their city, they knew that it was from the tree on Parth Galen, and that Boromir had come to visit his city and his people once more.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AWWWWWW sniffle, sniffle, WAIL!!!!!! The death of Boromir was so…so…wail, bawl…touching! To die with unrequited love is probably the hardest thing in the world… For those of you aren't really appreciative of drama and mush, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it! I felt that Boromir deserved a nice burial, since he didn't really play that big a role in the story. I think he deserved such a send-off, no matter how sad sniffle it may be. 


	30. Chapter Twenty-nine: The Hunt

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Hunt 

Camille sighed, and picked up her bow again, shouldering it. Going back to the clearing where she and Eli had first fought, she picked up all the undamaged arrows she could find, cleaning them as best as she could and putting them into her quiver. When she saw that some of Eli's kunai were lying around, she picked those up too. _No sense in leaving them lying around when she might need them. _

While she worked, her thoughts continued to circle on Boromir and what he had told her. _To think that all this time…and not once did I know… He was an awfully good actor. _But she knew that she did not love him as more than a friend. _He probably knew that Legolas loved me, and felt he couldn't compete. All the better that he didn't, but…he didn't have to DIE!!! I want to think that I helped him somehow!!! _She straightened, and closed her eyes. "Why did it have to BE that way?!?!"

"Do not blame yourself, Camille."

Camille opened her eyes, and saw Aragorn leaning against a nearby tree trunk, looking at her with a sympathetic gaze. She sighed, and quickly wiped away the tears that beaded at the corners of her eyes. "Why do you say that?"

The Ranger smiled at her kindly. "Boromir knew that you would not return his love, that when the time came you would bind yourself to Legolas. He only wished for your happiness, Camille. He was content to watch you from a distance, to take pleasure in the banter you shared with him, to bask in the light of your smile whether it was meant for him or not. The thought of you kept him away from the Ring; whenever he felt the Ring luring him, he would turn to you, and all thoughts of it would vanish."

Camille felt her mouth fall open slightly. _I…I kept him away from the Ring?_ "How did you know this? And if so, why didn't he stay away from the Ring this time around?"

"He told me before he passed away. And as for his being tempted at last this final time, I believe that the poison of the Ring had finally become too strong for him to resist. By then, not even the thought of you was sufficient," Aragorn answered. He approached her then, and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Now think no more of these thoughts. Legolas awaits you at the riverside. Go to him now; I will remain here for a moment to plan our next course."

Camille paused, and looked for a long moment at Aragorn. After a while, she smiled, and kissed him on the cheek with sisterly affection. "You know what, Aragorn? It's a pity you don't have any siblings; you'd have been a great older brother. Thanks a lot."

*      *      *

Legolas waited patiently for either Aragorn or Camille to appear from the woods where Camille had gone to earlier to pick up whatever of her arrows remained undamaged. Fearing that something would happen to her, Legolas wanted to go and keep her company, but Aragorn stayed him, saying that it would not be a wise thing for him to go hither, not after that revelation Boromir revealed. Instead, the Man offered to go and speak with her himself, while he thought about which course they would now take.

He heard footsteps coming back towards them, and from the tread, he knew that it was Camille who was returning. She soon walked through towards the clearing, her face still sad, but it seemed as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her, for she now carried her head a little higher, and Legolas could see the faint glow of her old determination returning to her eyes. He smiled slightly to himself. _Aragorn's words have done wonders. I must thank him later on._

Camille stood beside him now, looking at the boats. "So what're we going to do?"

Gimli shrugged from where he sat sharpening his axe. "Aragorn will decide. As you have perhaps noticed, one of the boats is missing, and Sam's pack is gone as well. We can only presume that Frodo and Sam have gone off together to Mordor."

"Oh," Camille muttered with a frown. "So that's it for the Fellowship, huh? Frodo and Sam have gone off to Mordor, Merry and Pippin have been taken…what are we supposed to do now? Follow Frodo and Sam? Or go after Merry and Pip?"

"We shall follow the Orcs."

Legolas turned round, and saw Aragorn coming towards them. There was a light in his eyes that seemed to say he had come to a decision, and that it would be one he would abide by. "Then we shall go after the two Halflings?"

The Dunadan nodded, face grave. "We shall. I would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!"

That said, they began to make their preparations. They drew one of the boats up onto the shore, and beneath it hid the things they would not need for the journey. Then they left Parth Galen, heading for the clearing where the cherry tree now stood, and searched for the trail of the Orcs.

It was not that difficult to find. Camille smirked, and pointed to a path that ran clear through the trees, without a single bush or shrub in it. "If all Orcs leave a trail like that, I think we'd be able to follow them by day OR night. They're not exactly discreet about where they're going, are they?"

"But they go with a great speed for all that," said Aragorn, "and they do not tire. And later we may have to search for our path in hard bare lands."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Camille said thoughtfully. "Didn't Boromir say that Eli was on their trail? If that's the case, then she'll most likely leave signs for us to follow if she thinks they're necessary."

Gimli snorted. "But would the Orcs not find her signs?"

There was a glint in Camille's eye. "Oh, they won't. You'll see later on why I can talk like this." She started on the path the Orcs had made, her step sure and light. She turned back to look at them, and for a while, Legolas saw that she was back to her old self, and what was more, she was eager to take part in the race that was laid out before them. "Well what are you guys standing there for?! I want to get to those Orcs as soon as I can, and when I get my hands on them, I'll blow them sky-high!"

Legolas laughed, and Gimli and Aragorn laughed with him. They raced after Camille, watching as she ran like a graceful doe over earth and grass, over rock and dust. The hunt was up, and they would not stop until they had succeeded.

*      *      *

"Wait!"

Camille ground to a halt when she heard Aragorn's voice, and nearly ran right over Gimli. "What is it, Aragorn?"

The Ranger turned to her then, his gray eyes glinting darkly in the dim moonlight. "Let us rest for a moment while I decide which course we must take next. The Orc-trail goes down in the valley, but there it is lost. Let us pause here a moment while I think."

"Which way would they turn, do you think?" asked Legolas. "Northward to take a straighter road to Isengard, or Fangorn, if that is their aim as you guess? Or southward to strike the Entwash?"

While the males thus occupied themselves, Camille drifted over to the nearby ridge that overlooked the valley, and closed her eyes, concentrating. In a soft whisper, she said, "Oh great winds that see and know all, who are the devoted servants of the Summoner of Byakko, the maiden Elisabeth Carnahan, tell me, what message does she send to me? I am her friend, Camille Selvitar, Summoner of Genbu and Suzako."

For a while, all was silent, and then the wind came whispering by, gentle and soothing, and carrying with it a message, a message that few would understand…

Aragorn and Legolas looked up the moment the wind came by. "This is a strange breeze," muttered the Elf. "It seems to be carrying words, though I cannot understand them much…"

"That's because they're only meant for me," Camille said with a grin as she walked back to them. "Like I said, Eli will leave signs, but not the kind of signs you're used to. Remember, she's got the wind and water at her beck and call. She'll be using those to send the messages to me." She looked at Aragorn. "The Orcs are going north. That's where we should go right now."

Aragorn nodded, and stood up. "Very well then. Let us search northwards!"

Soon they were on the run again, and didn't stop for quite a while. Along the way they encountered five dead Orcs lying on the side of the path. This assured them that they were on the right path, but it disheartened them, for it meant that there was strife going on amongst the Orcs, and who knew what might happen to Pippin and Merry if they got caught in the middle of it. But after searching and reassuring themselves that there were no Hobbit bodies nearby, they resumed the chase. 

It was only then that Camille noticed she could run farther than she ever could before. She wasn't sure how much distance they had covered already, but she was certain it was pretty long. _Maybe the Spirits are giving me extra strength, so I won't have to be a burden to the others. _She smiled at the thought, and was grateful for that. 

They ran ever onwards, not stopping for long, as Aragorn wanted to catch up to the Orcs as soon as he could, for they had delayed in Parth Galen for a long while, and the longer they rested, the larger the gap between them and the Orcs grew.

They paused upon a high ridge, and looked back. They saw across the River the far hills kindled. Day leaped into the sky. The red rim of the sun rose over the shoulders of the dark land. Before them in the West the world lay still, formless and gray; but even as they looked, the shadows of night melted, the colors of the waking earth returned: green flowed over the wide meads of Rohan; the white mists shimmered in the water-vales; and far off to the left, thirty leagues or more, blue and purple stood the White Mountains, rising into peaks of jet, tipped with glimmering snows, flushed with the rose of morning.

"Gondor, Gondor!" cried Aragorn. "Would that I looked on you again in happier hour! Not yet does my road lie southward to your bright streams!" And here he chanted in a deep but melodious voice, a song that echoed the grandeur of the White City in days passed, days that many feared would never come again. 

Camille listened to his song, and felt a deep sadness take hold in her heart. She had heard many stories about Gondor and its gradual fall into the ruinous state it was now. She had heard much of its former glory from tales Elrond had told them while they were still in Rivendell, and she felt she understood why Aragorn felt the way he did.

But they had to continue on with the chase. Ever west and north they went, following the trail as best as they could, and whenever they were in doubt as to the direction, Camille would consult the wind or the water, sometimes even both if they were available, and they would be on their way once more. Soon, they were running over the green grass-covered plains of Rohan, the scent of spring heavy in the air and filling them with new strength. The trail of the Orcs was easy to find; where they had tramped over the fields the grass was beaten back and blackened, cutting a long slot through the plains. This they followed without much difficulty.

Suddenly Aragorn called another halt. Camille stood with Legolas and Gimli as the Ranger investigated the ground that lay before them, moving abruptly to the right away from the path. At the furthest point of the side-path he bent down, as if looking at something that lay on the ground. After a moment, he straightened up, and ran towards them. 

"Yes," he said, "they are quite plain: a Hobbit's footprints. Pippin's, I think. He is smaller than the other. And look at this!" He held up a thing that glittered in the sunlight. It looked like the new-opened leaf of a beech tree, fair and strange in that treeless plain. 

Camille gasped, and reached out to touch it. "Either I'm starting to go blind or I'm seeing things, but this is Pippin's brooch, the same one the Elves of Lorien gave him to keep his cloak together!" Her smile became wider. "That means they're still alive!"

"And he had the use of his wits, and of his legs too. That is heartening. We do not pursue in vain," said Gimli.

"Let us hope that he did not pay too dearly for his boldness," said Legolas. "Come! Let us go on! The thought of those merry young folk driven like cattle burns my heart."

*      *      *

Legolas continued running, even as the moon rose high above him. The discovery of the Elven-brooch and the messages from both wind and water were more than enough encouragement for him, and he was willing to press on as far as was necessary. Though it had been three days and there was still no sign of the Orcs or the Hobbits, he tried to keep his spirits up. _They are near now; it is only a matter of time before we overtake them._

But then, Aragorn called a halt. Legolas turned to the Man, wondering what had caused him to call for such. It was only then that he remembered that Aragorn was of the race of Men. Naturally his endurance would not be same as the stamina of Elves and Dwarves.

"Let us rest here a while," Aragorn said. "We are at least certain of their path now, and if ever we falter, Camille can always ask the aid of the wind and the water."

Gimli did not like the halt. "Why must we halt when the path is so clear to us?"

Aragorn turned his gray eyes to Gimli. "Let me remind you, Master Dwarf, that we have a lady in our company, and I fear she has pushed her endurance to the limits. Or have you not noticed?"

Gimli snorted. "You underestimate Camille's strength, Aragorn. She has not complained at all since we began this race! And she has not asked for a halt yet. I will take her silence as a sign that we must go on."

Slightly amused by this exchange, Legolas turned to Camille, and was alarmed by what his eyes beheld. She was leaning slightly forward, as if one gust of wind could fell her easily. Her legs were trembling, and her chest was heaving as she tried to recuperate. She had not complained, true, but it did not take a healer to know that she was exhausted.

Immediately he flew to her side, steadying her when she nearly toppled over, the weariness taking over completely. When he checked, he realized, somewhat to his amusement, that Camille had fallen asleep. He looked up at Gimli with a wry grin. "I believe that Aragorn is right, friend Gimli. If we had gone any further, she might have caused herself more harm. And as for saying that she would ask for a halt to rest, I believe she would not say that. She would rather go on than be thought of as a burden to our Company."

"Then we shall pause here for rest," Aragorn said, and then he cast himself on the ground and fell immediately to sleep. Gimli lay down as well, and was soon lost in the land of dreams. Legolas sighed, and sat down, Camille cradled in his embrace. He did not sleep, for he did not need as much rest as his companions did, and so he appointed himself as the watch for the night. The only things that gave him comfort were the dim glimmering of the stars overhead, and the soft heartbeat and hushed breathing of his beloved, who slept now in his arms, drowning her weariness in the land of dreams.

In the dark hours before dawn, she stirred, opening her eyes to look upon him, her brown eyes glimmering gently by the light of the stars. A small smile curved on her lips, and she whispered, "I fell asleep, didn't I?"

Legolas, realizing that she was awake, smiled down at her, and nodded. "You did, my love. But I can understand your weariness. You have not gotten the chance to rest much after our long hunt from Parth Galen. But now Aragorn has given us the chance to recuperate, and you must make the best of it." 

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

He chuckled at her innocent question, and shook his head. "Nay, my love. Elves do not need sleep as much as mortals do. You should know that, should you not?"

She laughed quietly, the sound muffled as she snuggled closer to him. "Oh yeah, right. I must've forgotten. Jeez, that means I must be REALLY tired; my brains are starting to waste away." Then, in a softer voice, she said, "Am I really 'your love', Legolas?"

"Of course you are!" Legolas replied, his voice tinged with incredulity. "Must I prove this to you?" Without waiting for her answer, he leaned down, and kissed her. But for some reason, this was no longer the same chaste kiss they had shared on Cerin Amroth. Her closeness to him at that moment overwhelmed his senses and inflamed his desire, the desire he had held in check from the day he had bound himself to her. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, gently tasting and teasing her lips with his tongue, coaxing them to part.

Suddenly, a loud snort made the two lovers abruptly break the kiss and look to the camp. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Gimli turn over in his sleep, muttering something about Galadriel's hair and a golden housing. He glanced back at Camille, and realized that she was laughing without sound, her shoulders shaking as she tried to stave off her laughter. He allowed himself to chuckle with her. _It WAS a rather funny situation, after all. _

Camille got up then from his embrace, and sat up, her shoulder against his. The dark sky was slowly lightening up, and they both knew that dawn would come soon. Twining her arm around Legolas', she said, "Legolas, could you do me a small favor?"

He smiled as he turned to her. "Anything, my love."

"Could you sing for me? Something about the stars, or the dawn…something that will bring my mind far, far away from this place and situation."

Legolas smiled, and kissed her cheek, savoring the softness of it beneath his lips. "Of course, my love." And the silence before the dawning of day was filled with his song, melting away their troubles and worries for the time being.

*      *      *

Aragorn watched as Camille stood a little apart from their group, listening. She was consulting the wind again, asking it for tidings that would make their hunt much easier. After a moment, she sighed, and turned to him. "The tracks are going the right way," she said. "The Orcs are heading into Fangorn."

Aragorn nodded, gesturing to the nearby river. "Then we shall follow the Entwash as it flows through that forest. Perhaps once we enter Fangorn, there will be more hope of finding them." _Though I sorely doubt that. _He was beginning to lose hope on their hunt, for if he reckoned correctly, the Orcs should be more than two days' journeying ahead of them. They could never hope to catch up now. Still, he did not want to bring such news to his companions. "Come then, let us resume our chase."

But Camille stood stock-still, as if she was still listening. Aragorn looked at her long and hard, but she no longer seemed to be listening to the wind. Instead, the grass waved around her feet, bending their blades towards her as if in homage. She knelt down, and ran her hand slowly through their stalks, eyes closed, brow knit in concentration. After a long moment, she stood up, eyes wide and wary as she looked towards Fangorn. "They're coming."

Gimli was irritated now. After all, he did not have Aragorn's training as a Ranger, nor Legolas' keen hearing and sight, nor Camille's talent to read the whispering wind and trilling water for signs. "What is it?"

"Horsemen," Camille answered. "Many of them. Horsemen are headed this way."

Legolas stepped forward, and looked towards the direction that Camille was staring, shading his bright Elven-eyes with a long slender hand. After a moment, he spoke. "She is right. There are riders coming this way. There are one hundred and five. Yellow is their hair, and bright are their spears. Their leader is very tall." He lowered his hand. "They are only five leagues distant."

"Five leagues or one," said Gimli, "we cannot escape them in this bare land. Shall we wait for them here or go on our way?"

"We will wait," said Aragorn. Finally deciding to confide the truth, he continued, "I am weary, and our hunt has failed. Or at least others were before us; for these horsemen are riding back down the Orc-trail. We may get news from them."

"Or spears," muttered Gimli morosely.

Camille glared at him. "Oh enough with the gloomy attitude, Gimli. You're probably not going to believe me when I tell you this, but the grass has brought me news. These guys are good people; they won't hurt us if we don't do anything suspicious." She looked around, and added, "Standing here on the top of this hill won't do us any good. Let's move a little ways down, and then wait for them to come by. Hopefully they won't shish-kabob us when they come round." So saying, she drew the hood of her cloak up over her face, and started down the northward side of the hill. Aragorn followed her willingly, seeing the wisdom in her words and actions. 

They sat down on the hill again just above the foot of it, and began their long wait. The time seemed to pass too slowly for Aragorn's liking, but pass it did, for eventually, as the horsemen drew nearer, even Gimli could hear the distant beat of galloping hooves. The horsemen, following the trail, had turned from the river, and were drawing near the downs. They were riding like the wind.

Now the cries of clear strong voices came ringing over the fields. Suddenly they swept up with a noise like thunder, and the foremost horseman swerved, passing by the foot of the hill, and leading the host back southward along the western skirt of the downs. After him they rode: a long line of mail-clad men, swift, shining, fell and fair to look upon. In pairs they galloped by, and though every now and then one rose in his stirrups and gazed ahead and to either side, they appeared not to perceive the four strangers sitting silently and watching them. 

The host had almost passed when Aragorn stood up, and called in a loud voice: "What news from the North, Riders of Rohan?"

*      *      *

Camille blinked as the riders suddenly checked their steeds with impressive skill, and turned them around, charging back towards them. She barely blinked, and soon, their group was surrounded, the horses running in a circle around them. Without a word or a cry, the Riders halted. A thicket of spears was pointed at them; and some of the horsemen had bows in their hands, and their arrows were already fitted to the string. Then one rode forward, a tall man, taller than all the rest; from his helm as a crest a white horsetail flowed. He advanced until the point of his spear was within a foot of Aragorn's breast. Aragorn did not stir.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in this land?" asked the Rider, and Camille noticed that the way he pronounced his words in the Common Speech was more or less the same as Boromir's method of speaking. She felt her throat constrict when she remembered Boromir, but she shook her head imperceptibly. _Enough thinking of him, Camille! There's nothing you can do about him now! _

Aragorn answered on their behalf. "I am called Strider," he answered. "I came out of the North. I am hunting Orcs."

The Rider leaped from his horse. If there was one thing that Camille admired about these guys, it was their way with horses. She smirked from beneath her hood. _They're almost as good as Eli and me when it comes to horses. Maybe even better. _She cast her gaze over their mounts, and smiled, her expression hidden deep within her hood. _Nice. What breed is that…palomino? Arabian? Mustang maybe? _Though she realized that they probably hadn't heard of such breeds in this world, they looked a lot like the ones that existed in her world. 

Suddenly she felt eyes on her, and when she turned her head she saw the Rider boring down at her with his gaze, his dark brown eyes flaring with suspicion. "Why do you not speak, silent ones?"

Gimli rose, and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed. "Give me your name, horse-master, and I will give you mine, and more besides," he said.

"As for that," said the Rider, staring down at the Dwarf, "the stranger should declare himself first. Yet I am Eomer son of Eomund, and am called the Third Marshal of Riddermark."

"Then Eomer son of Eomund, Third Marshal of Riddermark, let Gimli the Dwarf Gloin's son warn you against foolish words. You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you."

Eomer's eyes blazed, and the Men of Rohan murmured angrily, and closed in, advancing their spears. "I would cut off your head, beard and all, Master Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," said Eomer.

Camille knew where this was going. Coming up between Eomer and Gimli, ignoring the fact that her hood came down and revealed who she was for all the world to see, she said, "Please, can we all be a little more CIVIL here?! Jeez, why is it that you MEN have to argue and bicker all the time?! Does it take a WOMAN to keep a level head around here?!"

The silence was almost palpable. She looked at Gimli, and saw the fire of wrath still gleaming in his eye, then at Eomer, who looked back at her, stunned. "A woman?!" he asked, incredulous. "You have a WOMAN in your company?! Yours is an odd group, Strider, that you would take a woman with you on an Orc-hunt."

Legolas scowled, and said, "It would be wise to treat her with respect, Eomer. This is no ordinary woman that you see before you. As with us, the favor of the Lady of the Golden Wood goes with her, and she is held in high esteem among the Elven folk. She shall be treated as if she were a Lady of a high court."

Eomer kept his hard, steely gaze focused on Camille, and she returned it steadily. Suddenly, he smirked. "Fair she is indeed, perhaps fairer than the maidens in the Court of the Steward of Gondor. But tell me, My Lady, what is your name, and where do you hail from? Why do you come with these strangers? Surely you did not go on this hunt of your own free will?"

The scorn in his voice flared Camille's temper to new heights. She frowned, and answered, "If you'd like to know my name, it's Camille Selvitar, and where I'm from is a question better left unanswered. And I came on this hunt on my own free will. I came because they are my friends, and because of other things." Here, she narrowed her eyes at him. "And if you're going to look at me like I'm some cheap little rag doll, some…TOY…that these boys carry around for fun, then you're wrong. Dead wrong. If anything, I'M the one who led them on this wild goose chase, if I may call it that." She dropped her voice. "Don't you dare cross me, Eomer. The Summoner who controls the earth and the flames is NOT one to be trifled with." 

Suddenly, the earth shook beneath them, rumbling with a deep frightful sound that spooked the horses and made the other Riders look nervously around them. Eomer suddenly backed off, and Camille grinned wickedly. "Do we have an understanding here, Eomer?"

The Rider nodded, and lowered his sword. "Indeed, My Lady." He shook his head, and added, "I do not doubt the identity of this Lady, but as for her other companions, they must tell me their right names."

"First tell me whom you serve," said Aragorn. "Are you friend or foe of Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor?"

"I serve only the Lord of the Mark, Theoden King son of Thengel," answered Eomer. "We do not serve the Power of the Black Land far away, but neither are we yet at open war with him; and if you are fleeing from him, then you had best leave this land. There is trouble now on all our borders, and we are threatened; but we desire to only be free, and live as we have lived, keeping our own, and serving no foreign lord, good or evil. We welcomed guests kindly in the better days, but in these times the unbidden stranger finds us swift and hard. Come! Who are you? Whom do YOU serve? At whose command do you hunt Orcs in our land?"

"I serve no man," said Aragorn, "but the servants of Sauron I pursue into whatever land they go. There are few among mortal Men who know more of Orcs; and I do not hunt them in this fashion out of choice. The Orcs whom we hunt took captive two of our friends. In such need a man that has no horse will go on foot, and he will not ask for leave to follow the trail. Nor will he count the heads of the enemy save with a sword. I am not weaponless." 

  
Aragorn threw back his cloak. The Elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Anduril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dunadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. Here is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!"

Camille grinned as she looked at Aragorn. _You go Aragorn! About time you showed this guy something! _

  
Eomer stepped back and a look of awe was on his face. He cast down his proud eyes. "These are indeed strange days," he muttered. "Dreams and legends spring to life from out of the grass."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Camille cut in, finally annoyed that this was taking so long. "Now that you know who we are, can I ask you a question? We've been chasing Orcs, like we said, and the way we see it, you're coming down from the opposite end of the trail we're following. By any chance, did you see two little guys? They're not Dwarves, being not as tall as Gimli here, and they've got curly hair and hairy feet."

Eomer quirked his eyebrow upwards in question. "I do not understand what you mean, My Lady."

"She has spoken of Halflings," Gimli explained. 

"Halflings!" laughed the Rider that stood beside Eomer. "Halflings! But they are only a little people in old songs and children's tales out of the North. Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?"

Camille scowled at him. "Shut your trap; no one asked for your opinion. Just stop beating around the bush and tell us if you found them!" The earth quaked beneath them again, and the Rider seemed to be sorry he had said anything at all.

Eomer spoke for a while in his own tongue, and the Rider backed off at last, taking the rest of the Riders with him. Camille smiled. _Hmph, served him right. Any more of him and I could've lobbed a fireball in is general direction. _

With the Riders gone, Aragorn went to Eomer, and the two of them began to discuss some things in private. In the meantime, Gimli turned to Camille, and gave her one of his rare smiles. "You have saved us much trouble, Camille. It seems that the very earth responds to your every mood! If it had done so during the Council, Rivendell would have certainly collapsed!"

Camille giggled, and shrugged. "I couldn't do that until now. I have to admit though; it's pretty helpful in dealing with other people. Particularly stubborn ones."

At that moment, Aragorn and Eomer came back to them then, and it seemed that Aragorn had finally agreed on something with the Rider. He smiled at them. "We have horses."

Camille let out a sigh of relief. _Finally! We won't have to walk anymore! _She watched as Eomer whispered a few words to another Rider, and waited. Soon, three horses were brought to them. One was dark gray, the other was a fiery auburn, and the last was black with a white star on the forehead. The black one caught her attention the most. It didn't seem to like the handling of the Riders, and constantly stamped the ground with its hooves.

She was drawn to the magnificent creature. She had never seen an animal as beautiful as it. She stepped forward slowly, reverently.

"Take care, My Lady!" Eomer warned. "This mare is spirited, and none can mount her. She is more restive than Arod." Here he indicated the auburn horse.

Camille laughed, and looked at Eomer. "You may be a Rider, but you can be pretty insensitive when it comes to animals. Ever wondered why no one could mount her? Plain and simple. She'd rather have a female rider than a male one. Trust me when I say that. I've lived with these animals for five years of my life, and I handle a lot of different breeds. You just need to know the right trick to pull off, especially when coming near one of the hot-blooded Arabians." She shrugged, and slowly approached the horse. "Easy, easy girl. I'm not going to hurt you."

The horse's ears suddenly pricked up, and she calmed down. Soon, all the Riders marveled as the mare trotted up to her, and nuzzled her cheek. Camille laughed, sliding her foot in the stirrup, and mounting the mare effortlessly. She sat up in the saddle, and wheeled the mare around expertly, amid gasps of surprise and awe from the Riders. 

Eomer smiled, and bowed to her. "You have earned our respect, dear Lady. None have ever achieved mounting Blackwing before, and you shall be the first."

"Let's just call it a woman's touch," Camille replied with a teasing grin. She watched as Aragorn mounted Hasufel, the gray-colored horse, while Legolas got on Arod's back – but not before taking off the saddle and the bridle that were placed on the reddish-brown steed. She smiled. _He always rode horses barebacked. It's amazing, how animals respond to Elves…makes me kind of jealous. _With Legolas rode Gimli, though the Dwarf seemed pretty uncomfortable sitting on the back of a horse.

"Farewell, and may you find what you seek!" cried Eomer. "Return with what speed you may, and let our swords hereafter shine together!"

"I will come," said Aragorn.

"And I will come too," said Gimli. "The matter of the Lady Galadriel lies still between us. I have yet to teach you gentle speech."

"We shall see," said the Rider seriously. Turning then to Camille, Eomer smiled. "Farewell, Tamer of Blackwing! May she bear you swiftly to good fortune! A Lady as fair as yourself must certainly have a fair mount."

Camille grinned, and answered, "Goodbye for now, Eomer! May the flames never harm what you hold dear and may the earth be kind to you and your kin! I can give no better blessing." With that, she kicked her heels slightly into Blackwing's flanks, and they were off.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Wa-hey, done at last with this chapter! And…yes, I think that the scene with Camille and Legolas was a little out-of-place, but I haven't written a sweet scene between them for oh-so-long, and I think they deserve it. For those of you who are wondering when Eli will get the chance for a scene, JUST BE PATIENT! She WILL get a special chapter (or two, depending on whether I swing that way or not when I come to it ^_~) entirely to herself and the twins, but that will come much, much later. After all, her being forced to choose between Elladan and Elrohir will be enough cause for trouble later on grins. Speaking of Eli, looks like we're going to have to look in on what she's been up to! See you next chapter!


	31. Chapter Thirty: Fangorn

Chapter Thirty: Fangorn 

Eli hid herself in the shadows of the forest as she watched the mysterious Riders round up all the Orcs and slay them, making sure they killed every last one. She had sorely wanted to join in the fray and kill those miserable creatures that had given her so much trouble…but she thought the better of it and hung back in the shadows of the trees, watching out with keen eyes as Merry and Pippin managed to somehow contrive their escape from the carnage.

She waited until they had wandered a little deeper into the forest, and once they were far away from the Riders, she decided to make her presence known. She ran up to them, and hissed, "Psst! Hey Merry, Pip!"

The two Hobbits yelped, and jumped to face her, their eyes wide with fear. But when they saw that it was only she, they laughed, and leaned forward, bracing themselves on their knees. "It was only you, Eli!" Pippin exclaimed. "I almost thought you were one of the Riders!"

"How DID you get here so quickly?" Merry asked as the two of them approached her. "When last we saw you, you were with Boromir, trying to help him."

Eli smiled, though it was only half-hearted. "Boromir sent me to come after you two. I've been following you since then, but I didn't want to risk getting discovered by the Orcs, so I didn't attempt to make a rescue. I was planning to help you spring for it by the time we got here, but it looks like the Riders got to them first."

The Hobbits seemed to sense that she was distressed about something, and they approached her, curious. "What happened to Boromir?" Merry asked quietly.

"I don't know," Eli replied honestly. "I really don't know." _Or put more accurately, I DO know but I don't want to ruin your day more than it has been already. _Attempting to change the subject, she put on as perky a smile as she could manage, and said, "But you're out of danger now, aren't you? Don't worry; Aragorn and the others ought to catch up to us soon." She looked towards the forest. "But first, we're going to have to find out way out of here."

"Can we take a moment and eat?" Pippin asked, though he immediately clapped his hand on his mouth, and added, "Though if you want us to go on now, we can…"

Eli laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot! I'm sorry about that; seems like the Orcs didn't feed you too well, did they?" She looked around, and noticed a stream trilling its way between some of the ancient trees. "Why don't we eat by the stream? And maybe we can get some rest in while we eat, hmmm?"

The Hobbits were more than inclined to agree with her suggestion. The three of them clambered over massive tree roots and slid over boulders, until they at last made it to the stream. There, they all leaned over the bank, and scooped up some water to wet their parched throats. The water was cold and clean, and Eli felt strangely enervated as the liquid slid down to her stomach. 

After they had calmed their raging thirst and Eli had refilled the only water skin she had managed to bring with her, they sat down to a rather meager meal consisting only of whatever lembas the Hobbits and Eli had on them. Eli had hidden a good supply in the pouch at her belt during the boat ride to Parth Galen, but she had to eat of it while tailing the Orcs, and now that supply was rather depleted. She stared long and hard at her pouch. _We have enough for around…a week and a half, maybe, two if we eat sparingly. _

Merry looked up at her then, a crumbled wafer of lembas in his hand. "How did you manage to tail us, Eli? And – no offense meant, of course – why didn't you break us out sooner?"

"It was always the wrong time," Eli replied quietly. "There were so many times when I was tempted to just let loose a huge windstorm on the Orcs and get you out, but then they'd either be on the move again, or I'd realize you'd get caught in the middle of everything. Mostly it was the last reason that made me stop. I hope you aren't mad at me for not breaking you out sooner."

Pippin grinned at her cheerfully. "Hey now! Don't be so glum! We understand why you would feel that way, Eli. You didn't want to get us hurt, is all."

Eli smiled at the Hobbit, grateful for his attempt at lifting her spirits. "Thanks, Pip." She looked up then, and noticed that a long shaft of sunlight had pierced through the canopy, and seemed to be shining down on a clearing not that far away. She stood up, and pointed in that direction. "Hey you guys, look. There seems to be clearing over there."

The Hobbits seemed once more quite eager to get there. _Maybe this forest is too stuffy for them,_ Eli mused. She had to admit though, that's what it felt like – old, like an attic room that hadn't been cleaned out for more than a decade. _Then again, _she thought, _if an attic isn't cleaned out for a long time; one is apt to find strange things in it…_ The forest didn't feel darksome, so it probably wasn't Mirkwood. Eli had heard too often from Bilbo's tales of massive spiders that spread huge webs all over the place, waiting to catch their prey in the sticky strands. 

She cringed slightly when they started walking towards the clearing. The thought of spiders gave her the chills, as she had a deathly fear of them. "Never get Eli anywhere near a spider," Camille had told Bilbo before, "unless you want her to cause unnecessary carnage in a most random way." _Which is true, _Eli thought with a slight grin. The moment she saw a spider, she would start screaming and begin whacking it with anything within grabbing range – even if it was something rather breakable. 

It took a while of walking, since the clearing was farther than they thought and the slope climbed upwards, but when they got there, they saw a rock wall before them, with no trees growing on it, and the sun shining down on it with full force. In the face of the wall was something that looked like a stairway, but made by natural means, since the rock was roughly hewn and weathered. High up, almost level with the treetops, was a shelf under a cliff. Nothing grew there except for a few weeds and an old tree stump.

Eli grinned, and she and the Hobbits ran up to the rock face, all of them looking up towards the shelf. She turned to them. "Looks like we got a little bit of climbing to do. You guys go first; I'll stay a little ways behind so that I can catch you if you slip."

"We won't need your catching, thank you very much," Merry sniffed in a very theatrical manner. "We can get up there all by ourselves."

Pippin nodded, though he wasn't as dramatic as Merry. "He's right, you know. After all that climbing in Moria, this shouldn't be too hard." However, he was only three steps up the stairway when he slipped, and would have gone tumbling down had not Eli been there to steady him.

Eli giggled at the Hobbit. "You were saying something, Pip?"

Pippin sniffed, somewhat miffed by her laughter, but took it good-humoredly at any rate. With that the three of them began the climb upwards, and they soon got to the shelf. Apparently the staircase had been made for those with stronger bones and longer legs, so the Hobbits were a bit winded by the climb. They sat down on the tree stump, while Eli looked around, surveying the scene. The forest stretched far out in all directions, an endless ocean of rustling leaves and crackling bough. She sighed, and stretched. "The forest looks so different in the sunlight, doesn't it?"

"Yes," said Pippin with a sigh. "But I'm afraid that this is only a passing gleam, and it will all go gray again. What a pity! I almost felt I liked the place."

"Almost felt you liked the Forest?! That's good! That's uncommonly good of you!" said a strange voice. "Turn round and let me have a look at your faces. I almost feel that I dislike you three, but let us not be hasty. Turn around!"

Eli jumped right out of her skin. _What the hell was that?! _She turned around slowly, and gasped. "Oh…my…God…"

She was staring at a most extraordinary face. It belonged to large Man-like, almost Troll-like, figure, at least fourteen feet high, very sturdy, with a tall head, and hardly any neck. Whether it was clad in stuff like green and gray bark, or whether that was its hide, was difficult to say. At any rate the arms, at a short distance from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but covered with a brown smooth skin. The large feet had seven toes each. The lower part of the long face was covered with a sweeping gray beard, bushy, almost twiggy at the roots, thin and mossy at the ends. But what got Eli's attention the most were the eyes. They were deep and solemn, looking back at her with a gaze that seemed to penetrate into her very soul. They were brown and shot with a green light. They held great wisdom within their depths, perhaps more wisdom than what she had seen in Galadriel's eyes, but at the same time awareness of all things that were going on. Aside from that, she felt she could sense a steadiness in them, a look she had seen in the eyes of those who had just finished meditating, or pondering the imponderable. 

But whatever the case may have been, Eli felt no fear when she saw this creature. In fact, she felt rather safe with it around. "Pardon me, but who and what are you?"

"Hrum hoom," muttered the voice, a sound that reminded Eli a little of an oboe, but deeper and more…organic than that. "It has been a while since I last saw someone of the Man-race here. Especially a female. And these little ones…why, I have not seen the likes of them before! Very odd indeed! Do not be hasty, that is my motto. But if I had seen you, before I had heard your voices – I liked them: nice high little voices and a deeper melodious one; they reminded me of something I cannot remember – if I had seen you before I heard you, I should have just trodden on you, mistaking you for little Orcs accompanying a bigger one, and found out my mistake afterwards. Very odd you are indeed. Root and twig, very odd!"

The Hobbits seemed to be taken by amazement, but, much to Eli's relief, they weren't afraid. "Please," Merry asked, "if I may repeat Eli's question, who are you? And what are you?"

Eli continued to watch the eyes, and she noticed that a wariness came over them suddenly. "Hrum now," it answered, "well, I am an Ent, or that's what they call me. Yes, Ent is the word. THE Ent, I am, you might say, in your manner of speaking. Fangorn is my name according to some, Treebeard others make it. Treebeard will do."

Eli blinked. _An Ent? _She tried to recall each and every thing that she had read and heard concerning other species on Middle-Earth, and suddenly, a name popped into her head. _Onodrim! Yes, of course! The eldest of ALL races on Middle-Earth, older even than the Elves, for they were on Middle-Earth from the moment it was created. Oh, what did Gandalf say they did? Tree herding, something like that…and guarding the forests… And Celeborn mentioned something about not going into Fangorn Forest…that's where we must be right now. _She looked at Treebeard, observing him. _But why would he say that, I wonder? Treebeard doesn't look like he would hurt us… _

Suddenly Treebeard's eyes were focused on her own. "Hoom now, why so silent, Man-child?" he asked then. "Your companions have told me their names already, but you have not. I appreciate it that you are not hasty, but now that I ask you, would you like to tell me?"

Eli shook herself out of her thinking mode, and smiled. "Sorry, I was a little out of it a while ago. My name is Elisabeth Carnahan. But my friends all call me Eli."

"Elisabeth…Carnahan," Treebeard said slowly, and something like a smile crept onto his face. "Strange name, strange name indeed! Many names I have heard, but yours is by far the most unusual!" He made a deep hooming sound then, and it sounded like he was remembering something. "Hrum hoom hoom, what was it again? Four maidens of another world with great power who brought the world to life beneath their fingers…" He gave another hoom, and looked at her. "Ah well, I seem to have forgotten the tale! I heard it a long, long time ago, and now I cannot remember. I would like very much to speak with you, Elisabeth – I like that name better than Eli, it is not as hasty. And I would also like to hear news. What is going on? What are you doing in it all? What is Gandalf up to? And these – burarum," he made a deep rumbling noise like the discord of a great organ, "-these Orcs, and young Saruman down at Isengard. I like news. But not too quick now."

"There is quite a lot going on," said Merry. "And even if we tried to be quick, it would take a long time to tell. But you told us not to be hasty. Ought we to tell you anything so soon? Would you think it rude, if we asked what you are going to do with us, and which side you are on? And did you know Gandalf?"

"Yes I do know him: the only wizard who really cared about trees," answered Treebeard. "Do you know him?"

"Yes," said Pippin sadly. "We did. He was a great friend, and he was our guide."

"Then I can answer your other questions," said Treebeard. "I am not going to do anything WITH you; if you mean by that 'do something TO you' without your leave. We might do some things together. I don't know about SIDES. I go on my own way; but your way may go along with mine for a while. But you speak of Master Gandalf as if he was in a story that had come to an end."

Pippin sighed. "Yes, we do. The story seems to be going on, but Gandalf has fallen out of it."

"Hoo, come now!" said Treebeard. "Hoom, hm, ah well." He paused, looking long and hard at the three of them. "Hoom, ah, well I do not know what to say. Come now!"

"We'd be willing to tell you the story of our journey," Eli offered then, "and answer whatever more questions you have, but it will take quite a bit of time to tell you everything from start to finish. And I have a rather…different tale from my companions. It's getting rather dark, and we need to find some shelter for the night."

Treebeard looked up, stayed that way for a while, and looked back at them. "Hoom, indeed, you are right, Elisabeth. Well then, if you are seeking shelter I think I can take you to my home, or one of my homes."

"Is it far?" asked Merry.  
  


"I do not know. You might call it far, perhaps. But what does that matter?"

"Well you see, we have lost all our belongings," said Merry. "We have a little food."

"O! Hm! You need not trouble about that," said Treebeard. "I can give you a drink that will keep you green and growing for a long, long while. And if we decide to part company, I can set you down outside my country at any point you choose. Let us go!"

And then, Treebeard reached out, and grasped Eli gently but firmly. He slowly lifted her up, and placed her on his shoulder, balancing her. After making sure that she was secure, he lifted up the Hobbits, and held them, one in each arm. Then carefully and solemnly, he stalked down from step to step, then onto the Forest floor. At once he set off with long deliberate strides through the trees, deeper and deeper into the woods, never straying far from the stream, going steadily up towards the slopes of the mountains. And while he walked Merry and Pippin asked him many questions, particularly about Fangorn, Lothlorien, and the ancient connection between the two forests. He also told them about tree and Ents, and the old forests that used to cover Middle-Earth, and the difference between Elves, and Men, and Ents. But Eli was content to simply listen in on them, absorbing the information and adding it to her little mental book of knowledge on all things concerning Middle-Earth. 

Suddenly, Treebeard said, "Hm, here we are! I have brought you about seventy thousand Ent-strides, but what that comes to in the measurement of your land I do not know. Anyhow we are near to the roots of the Last Mountain. Part of the name of this place might be Wellinghall, if it were turned into your language. I like it. We will stay here tonight." 

He set them down on the grass between the aisles of great trees that seemed to glow, and they followed him towards the great arch. A great stone table stood there, but no chairs. Treebeard lifted two great vessels and stood them on the table. Eli thought they were filled with water, but when Treebeard held his hands over them, and immediately they began to glow, one with a golden and the other a rich green light. Immediately, the place all around them was illuminated with a light that resembled that of the summer sun passing through young green leaves.

"Well, well, now we can talk," said Treebeard. "You are thirsty, I expect. Perhaps you are also tired. Drink this!" He went towards the back, and returned with one large vessel and three smaller ones. As Treebeard handed them the smaller vessels, Eli looked at the liquid inside. It looked exactly like water. Taking a tentative sip, she realized that it WAS water, but there was something mixed into it, something that she couldn't identify. As she sipped, she felt a light tingly feeling move through her body, starting from her feet all the way up to the roots of her hair. Amazingly, it felt like her hair was starting to grow a little longer.

After they had drunk, Treebeard lifted them off the table, and brought them over to a great bed that stood no more than a few feet off the ground. He lay down on it, and placed them on pillows of grass. "Now tell me your tale," said Treebeard, "and do not hurry!"

Merry and Pippin began the tale, but it took longer than it would have for only one person to tell it, because they kept interrupting each other, and Treebeard was always asking questions, requesting details about some earlier event and then jumping forward to later events. Eli was thankful that they hadn't mentioned anything about the Ring; and Treebeard constantly asked about Rivendell, and Elrond, and the Mines of Moria, and Lothlorien and Galadriel.

"Hm, hoom!" said Treebeard when the story had finally wound down to the battle with the Orcs and the Riders. "That is a bundle of news and no mistake. But you have not told me everything, not by a long way. But now," here he gave another hoom that seemed to indicate interest, "I would like to listen to the Man-child's tale. Tell me everything you know, for you seem like a stranger in this realm, I can see it in your expression and in your eyes. Make no haste in the tale, for it seems like a good one, and I enjoy a good long story!"

So Eli told old Treebeard everything, beginning from her and Camille's arrival in Middle-Earth, including how they got the Spirits, as well as all the events that Merry and Pippin had spoken of. Since he had heard majority of the tale already, Treebeard didn't ask too many questions and kept silent, but Eli thought she caught the glint of familiarity in his deep thoughtful eyes, and a small smile creep once more beneath his bushy beard.

When she had finished the tale, Treebeard stood up slowly, and said, "Ha, hoom, that is a magnificent tale indeed! Now I shall go stand in the rain for a while, and think what this all means. You may sleep now, if you wish."

Taking that suggestion to heart, the two weary Hobbits curled up on the pillows and immediately fell asleep, but Eli did not. She spent most her time staring at Treebeard, who stood outside, letting the rain fall all over him. _He knows about the Ring, _she thought. _Even if we didn't tell him about it, he knows. I wonder how he got to come by all that information? _Realizing that the only way to satisfy her curiosity was to ask, she walked forward towards Treebeard, but stayed in the canopy of the trees to avoid getting wet. With earnest eyes, she looked at the Ent, and said, "You know, don't you?"

Treebeard turned to her slowly, and there was a light in his eyes. "Hoom, ha, so you have guessed me out now, have you? Very good, very good. Gandalf was right to say that you were clever…Summoner of the Four Spirits of Middle-Earth."

"How did you find all of this out?" Eli asked, hope suddenly flaring up brightly in her heart. 

"Because I told him everything, my dear."

Eli froze then, her limbs stiff with shock. It was a voice she remembered clearly, and it was a voice she thought she would never hear again. Slowly turning, she came upon a sight that sent both surprise and happiness surging through her veins. "Gandalf?"

Gandalf – for it was indeed he – stepped forth from out of the shadows, and stood before her in the pale moonlight. He smiled at her, and his eyes twinkled merrily. "Well met by moonlight, dear Elisabeth. Or should I call you Elisarien now, as the Elves do?"

Unable to contain herself any longer, Eli let out a loud laugh, and jumped onto the Wizard, hugging him tightly. "Gandalf! Oh God, it's so good to see you again! We all thought that you were-"

"Dead?" Here Gandalf chuckled, and sighed. "Ah child, it is a long tale, and we do not have time. What say I tell you the story when we find the others?" He smiled then. "But I must admit, I am happy to see you doing so well. I have missed your company greatly, no matter how sharp your tongue may be. I can feel that your powers have gotten stronger over the time I was gone, and it makes me glad. No doubt that Camille's powers have increased as well."

Eli could only agree to whatever Gandalf said. "Sure, whatever you say Gandalf." She paused for a moment, then said, "Uh, Gandalf, I really hate to bring the topic up now, but what about Merry and Pippin? And how will we find the others?"

Gandalf shrugged then. "Do not worry overmuch about them, child. We cannot take them with us, unfortunately, but I am sure Treebeard here will take care of them. And as for ourselves, we must travel in haste, so I have brought us some mode of transportation." With that, he whistled three times, each note clear and sharp. Eli listened, and thought she heard the neighing of a horse. A moment of silence, and then she could heard the thundering hoof beats of several horses as they made their way towards them. At last they burst through the clearing. One was larger than the rest, and was colored a light gray. There were to others beside it, slightly smaller; one was black with a white star on the forehead, the other was pure white with some gray dappling the flanks. The two others were dark gray and auburn, respectively.

Eli felt her jaw drop when she saw the horses. "Where did you get them, Gandalf?" she asked reverently as she approached the white horse. It nickered softly, nuzzling its velvety nose against her palm.

"Let us just say that I borrowed them from someone," Gandalf said nonchalantly as he mounted the light gray horse. He smiled, and patted the stallion on the neck. "This is Shadowfax, and that beautiful mare you have with you is his sister, Whitewing. The black one is also his sister, named Blackwing. The dark gray one is Hasufel, and the auburn is Arod. They are some of the best horses from the stables of Theoden King, ruler of the Rohirrim."

"Whitewing…" Eli stroked the mare's sleek neck. "Are you willing to go on a long trip with me on your back, girl?"

Whitewing neighed in eagerness, and stamped her hooves. Pleased with the reaction she got, Eli immediately got onto Whitewing's back, perching easily in the saddle. She turned to the three other horses. "What are we going to do with them?"

Gandalf directed Shadowfax so that him and Whitewing were abreast with each other. "They will come with us, Eli. We go to find the others, and they will need these horses. There is very little time to waste." He turned to Treebeard then. "Farewell for now, Treebeard! We may yet meet again!"

The Ent waved a gnarled, knuckled hand. "Farewell, Gandalf! And farewell, Elisabeth! Worry not for your companions; I shall tell them that you have decided to go seek out your other companions for them."

Eli grinned, and waved. "Farewell, Treebeard! Take care of them for me, okay?!" With that, she and Gandalf turned to the deeper parts of Fangorn, and set off, the three other horses just behind them.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Heheh, told you I'd give her a special chapter ^_^. As you can tell, this chapter was written ENTIRELY in Eli's POV. I did that because I wasn't sure I would be able to write something from the Hobbits' POV, and I certainly couldn't write through TREEBEARD'S eyes. As for doing it from Gandalf's POV, I didn't want to do it until the next chapter. Ah, the choices an author must face ^_~. Anyway, let's move on, shall we? It's high time that Eli and Camille met again, and they're going to do it…but not before Gandalf springs a surprise on them! Wanna see how it goes? Read on!


	32. Chapter Thirty-one: Gandalf?!?!

Chapter Thirty-One: Gandalf?!?! 

Camille looked up at the eaves of Fangorn forest. _Looks pretty creepy…but then again, kind of familiar. _She had been having "fuzzy feelings" about Fangorn that grew stronger and stronger the closer they got to the place, but she couldn't really understand WHY she would be having them. _Is there something I'm missing here? If so, then I really don't get it. _And now that they were IN it, well…the "fuzzy feelings" had faded away somewhat, and were now replaced by a feeling of familiarity and, oddly enough, welcome. _Why does it feel like I shouldn't be scared of this place at all? _

"My very bones are chilled," Gimli muttered, flapping his arms and stamping his feet.

Camille didn't bother herself with looking at him. "You shouldn't be, you know. Afraid, I mean."

The Dwarf snorted as he approached her then. "It is easy for you to speak such words; you are like the Elf: you prefer woods and open spaces more than the so-called 'dreariness' of Moria. You do not see the sheer magnificence of it, lass!"

"Oh, but I do," Camille said with a smile. "Only problem is, it would've had a better effect on me if it weren't so dark and if there were no Balrogs and Orcs breathing down my neck." She stopped when she felt the tension in the air slowly growing thicker and thicker. She coughed a little. "Is it just me, or is it getting stuffier the further in we go?"

"Indeed," nodded Gimli. "This wood is lighter than Mirkwood, but it is musty and shabby."

"It is old, very old," said Legolas. "So old that I almost feel young again, as I have not felt since I journeyed with you children. It is old and full of memory. I could have been happy here, if I had come in days of peace."

Camille sighed, leaving the two to their discussion. She approached a tall tree, thick tendrils of Spanish moss hanging from its branches, and placed her hand against the trunk.

Almost instantly, a soft, ancient and weary voice spoke in her head, 'At last, you have returned, My Lady.'

Camille started. _What the heck was that?! _She looked all around her, trying to find the source of the speaker's voice, but finding none, she realized, to her utter disbelief, that it was coming from the tree. Hesitantly, she asked, 'Who are you?'

'I am Greencrown, an oak tree of Fangorn Forest, and one of the few trees that witnessed the creation of this wood. I know who you are, My Lady. I sense the Power within you.'

'What do you mean, you know me? I don't think I know YOU,' Camille replied.

The leaves of the tree rustled above her, and Camille thought that the tree was actually laughing. 'No, I do not think you know me. You are much younger than our Creator. But I know that you are one of the Summoners, and that you hold the power of the Earth and the Flame within you. We saw the entry of the other Summoner, she who wields the power of Wind and Water, and we knew that she who wields the powers of Earth and Flame would be close by. All the trees of Fangorn rejoice in your arrival! At last, here walks beneath our branches one of those who shall become the Salvation of Middle-Earth!'

Camille shook her head. 'Thank you, but if you saw the other Summoner could you tell me where-'

"Camille!" Aragorn called from several meters ahead of her. 

"Uh, I'm coming Aragorn!" Inwardly, though, Camille was ready to tackle the Ranger to the ground and knock him around a bit for interrupting at a crucial moment. _Damn it Aragorn, you're SO going to get it from me when this is all over! _She turned back to Greencrown, and sighed. 'Sorry, but I have to go now.'

The branches bent forward towards her just a bit, like a bow. 'Very well then, My Lady. There are more urgent matters that require your attention. I have but one request: do tell the Dwarf to watch where he lays his axe!'

Camille giggled. 'Yeah, yeah, I will. Thanks for the information, Greencrown. Bye.' With that she let her hand slide off the rough bark, and she jogged back towards Aragorn, a smile on her face. She no longer felt the oppressive feeling she had a while ago, when she first walked through Fangorn. "Well then, are we going to get moving or what?"

Aragorn was looking at her strangely. "What were you doing there, Camille? Are you ill?"

Camille smiled, and shook her head. "Nah, I'm okay. Just thought I saw something along the banks of the stream." Her grin broadened, and she looked at Gimli. "Oh, and Gimli, could you do me a MAJOR favor and keep that axe of yours away from any trees while we're here?"

Gimli was surprised by this request. "Why would you ask such a thing of me today, when you have not spoken about it before?"

"It's a request from a friend," Camille said, and forced herself not to laugh outright when she saw Gimli's puzzled expression. With that, she walked up to the front with Aragorn, singing random songs to herself, feeling quite at home and safe in Fangorn.

*      *      *

Legolas watched as Camille jumped lightly over the bend of a tree root that was sticking out of the ground, looking quite like a natural hurdle. _She is acting quite oddly today. _When they had first entered Fangorn, she had been just as apprehensive as any of them, but now, she was actually smiling and prone to laugh at her own thoughts as they occurred to her. And all the while, she sang a song…

_Under a lover's sky_

_Gonna be with you,_

_And no one's gonna be around_

_If you think that you won't fall, _

_Well just wait until, till the sun goes down_

_Underneath the starlight, starlight_

_There's a magical feeling so right_

_It will steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_

_Try to hide from my kiss_

_But you know, but you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_Deep in the dark_

_You'll surrender your heart_

_Don't you know, don't you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_No, you can't fight it_

_It's gonna get to your heart_

_There's no escape from love_

_Once the gentle breeze weaves its spell upon your heart_

_No matter what you think_

_It won't be too long till you're in my arms_

_Underneath the starlight, starlight_

_We'll be lost in a rhythm so right_

_Feel it steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_

_Try to hide from my kiss_

_But you know, but you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_Deep in the dark_

_You'll surrender your heart_

_Don't you know, don't you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_No, you can't fight it_

_No matter what you do_

_The night is gonna get to you_

_Can't fight it, don't try it_

_You're never gonna win_

_'Coz underneath the starlight, starlight_

_There's a magical feeling so right_

_It will steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_

_Try to hide from my kiss_

_But you know, but you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_Deep in the dark_

_You'll surrender your heart_

_Don't you know, don't you know that you_

_Can't fight the moonlight_

_No, you can't fight it…_

She stopped her singing when their group finally burst through the forest and into a glade. There, in the middle, stood a high rock wall, the sun shining warmly onto it.

Legolas smiled as the stuffy air of Fangorn dissipated from his surroundings. _It feels good to see sunlight once more, _he thought. Calling to his companions, he said, "Let us go up and look about us! I still feel my breath short. I would like to taste a freer air for a while."

The four of them climbed upwards in a line, with Legolas in front, Camille behind him, Gimli following her, and Aragorn at the rear. The Ranger was moving slowly: he was scanning the steps and ledges closely.

"I am almost sure that the Hobbits have been here," he said. "There are larger footprints as well; I believe them to be Eli's."

Camille turned to him, and there was a smile upon her face. "Really? Good! That means she caught up with them somehow."

Aragorn nodded. "Indeed, and that is a very comforting thought. But there are other marks, very strange marks, which I do not understand. I wonder if we can see anything from this ledge which will help us to guess which way they went next?"

Camille sighed as she slumped onto the flat tree stump that grew on the rock shelf they were now standing on. "You know, I think we just took the roundabout route to get here. If my memory of the maps is correct, if we left the Anduin around two or three days after we left Lothlorien and gone west, we could've gotten here, all safe and sound."

Legolas sighed, for he knew that Camille was right. "Few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come at its end."

"But we did not wish to come to Fangorn," Gimli said.

"Nope, we didn't. But here we are, and very deep in it, I might add," Camille said with a resigned sigh. Suddenly, she jerked up, and jumped off her seat on the tree stump, standing beside Aragorn close to the ledge of the shelf. She peered into the trees. "Is it just me, or did I just see someone walking between the trees?"

_What?_ Legolas focused his keen eyes into the forest that lay eastward, and after a while of looking, noticed something that appeared to be an old man dressed in tattered gray rags, leaning on a rough staff. His head was bowed, and he did not look at them. 

Gimli gazed with wide eyes for a while, as step by step the figure drew nearer. Then suddenly, unable to contain himself any longer, he burst out: "Your bows, Legolas, Camille! Bend them! Get ready! It is Saruman. Do not let him speak, or put a spell upon us! Shoot him!"

Camille shook her head at Gimli. "No, wait, don't do that." She peered at the old man more closely, eyes narrowing. "I don't know, but the old man's aura…it doesn't feel like Saruman's would. It feels more like…like…"

"Like whose?" Legolas asked as he turned to Camille. Their eyes met, and in an instant, he knew immediately just whom she had in mind. _Gandalf?! _He shook his head. _No, that is impossible. Gandalf fell into Shadow in Moria…no one, not even an Elf, could survive that… _

By now the old man had drawn closer to the hill, and was looking up at them. All four were still and silent. 

At last, the old man broke the silence. "Well met indeed, my friends," he said softly. "I wish to speak to you. Will you come down, or shall I come up?" Without another word, he began to climb.

"Now!" cried Gimli. "Stop him, Camille, Legolas! Camille, the earth is at your bidding, is it not?! Use that power now!"

"Did I not say that I wished to speak to you?" said the old man. "Be at ease, Master Elf!"

Legolas relaxed then, almost unwillingly, and his arms hung loose at his sides.

"And you, Master Dwarf, pray take your hand from your axe-haft, till I am up! You will not need such arguments."

Legolas felt his eyes narrow involuntarily, watching as the old man sprang up the stone steps as nimbly as a goat. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Camille's body was tensed slightly, but not too much. Her posture was one of wariness, but not one of complete suspicion. 

"Well met I say again," said the old man, coming towards them. When he was a few feet away, he stood, stooping over his staff, with his head thrust forward, peering at them from under his hood. "And what may you be doing in these parts? An Elf, a Man, a Dwarf, and a maiden who looks like an Elf, all clad in Elvish fashion. No doubt there is a tale worth hearing behind it all. Such things are not often seen here."

"You speak as one that knows Fangorn well," said Aragorn. "Is that so?"

"Not well," replied the old man: "that would be the study of many lives. But I come here now and again."

"Might we know your name, and then hear what it is you have to say to us?" said Aragorn. "The morning passes, and we have an errand that will not wait."

"As for what I have wished to say, I have said it: What may you be doing, and what tale can you tell of yourselves? As for my name!" He broke off, laughing long and softly. When he did so Legolas felt a chill go through him, not out of fear, but strangely enough, out of familiarity.

"My name!" said the old man again. "Have you not guessed it already? You have heard it before, I think. Yes, you HAVE heard it before. But come now, what of your tale?"

The four companions stood silent and made no answer.

"There are some who would begin to doubt whether your errand is fit to tell," said the old man. "Happily I know something about it. You are tracking the footsteps of a young maiden, and of two young Hobbits. Yes, Hobbits. Don't stare as if you had never heard the strange name before. You have, and so have I. Well, they climbed up here the day before yesterday; and they met someone that they did not expect. Does that comfort you? And now you would like to know where they were taken? Well, well, maybe I can give you some news about that. But why are we standing? Your errand, you see, is no longer as urgent as you thought. Let us sit down and be more at ease."

The old man turned away and went towards a heap of fallen stones and rock at the foot of the cliff behind. Immediately, as if a spell had been broken, three of the four companions stirred. Gimli's hand went at once to his axe-haft. Aragorn drew his sword. Legolas picked up his bow. Only Camille didn't seem to stir at all. She continued to stare at the old man, and though she seemed frozen, her eyes betrayed her emotions. They were wide with disbelief, and yet, behind that glowed a bright flicker of hope.

The old man took no notice, but stooped and sat himself on a low flat stone. Then his gray cloak drew apart, and they saw, beyond doubt, that he was clothed beneath all in white.

"Saruman!" cried Gimli, springing towards him with axe in hand. "Speak! Tell us where you have hidden our friends! What have you done with them? Speak, or I will make a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find it hard to deal with!"

Suddenly, Camille screamed, "GIMLI!!! DON'T!!!" Immediately she sprang from her frozen position of moments ago, and stood between the old man and Gimli's axe blade. "Gimli!! Don't touch him!! Jeez, can't you see?!?! CAN'T YOU SEE WHO THIS PERSON REALLY IS?!?!?!"

Legolas stared at Camille, wide-eyed. "Camille, why are you doing this?!"

"I know what I'm doing!" she answered. She looked at them pleadingly. "Don't you recognize him?! Aragorn? Legolas?! IT'S GANDALF!!! This old man is actually GANDALF!!"

*      *      *

Camille stared at her companions, at their skeptical and suspicious looks. _They think that I've fallen under some sort of spell. _She shook her head. "Come ON you guys! Look at him more closely!!! And didn't you hear the tone of his voice? This is Gandalf we're talking to here!"  
  


There was melodious laughter from the bottom of the hill, and all of them looked down. There, they saw Eli grinning up at them, her hazel eyes twinkling merrily in the morning light that streamed down from the gap in the forest canopy. "About time you figured it out!" she exclaimed as she started to climb up the steps towards them. "I was all for going up here and smacking each and every one of you upside on the heads to wake you up!! Good thing Camille figured everything out in the end."

_You've just GOT to be kidding me! _"Eli!" Camille ran to greet her friend, and climbed back up with her, their arms looped together in true friendship. "Why didn't you come up here with Gandalf?!"

Eli shrugged in that characteristic nonchalant manner that was her trademark. "He told me to wait in the trees until at least one of you figured out who he was, or he revealed himself to you. Said he wanted to surprise you."

"Gandalf!!!" Camille cried as she launched herself at the old wizard, who was now watching them all, eyes gleaming with good cheer and joy. "Why did you have to TORTURE us like that?! If I hadn't managed to figure everything out sooner then maybe Gimli would have hacked you to itty-bitty pieces!!"

Gandalf laughed then, and hugged her with paternal affection, pulling her up against his snow-white robes. "I have missed you sorely, my dear Camille," he told her in the genuine Gandalf manner. "Wandering is so very boring without your laughter and banter to lighten up the mood! Especially when you and Eli bicker." 

Camille giggled happily, and swiped out the tears of happiness that had come into her eyes. She looked at Gandalf, smiling. "I'm so happy that you're alive, Gandalf."

"Well now, that is perhaps the best greeting I can get!" Gandalf exclaimed as he tweaked her on the tip of her nose as though she was a little girl. After he did so, he turned, and walked over to Gimli, who was on his knees and had his eyes lowered. "Get up, Gimli! No blame to you, and no harm done to me. Indeed my friends, none of you have a weapon that could hurt me, save for the magic of the Summoners, but I dare say they will not use it against me. Be merry! We meet again. At the turn of the tide. The great storm is coming, but the tide has turned."

He laid his hand on Gimli's head, and the Dwarf looked up and laughed suddenly. "Gandalf!" he said. "But you are all in white!"

"Yes, I am white now," said Gandalf. "Indeed, I AM Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been. But come now, tell me of yourselves! I have heard Eli's tale already, so I would like to hear yours. I have passed through fire and deep water, since we parted. I have forgotten much of that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off, but many things that are close at hand I cannot see. Tell me of yourselves!"

"What do you wish to know?" said Aragorn. "All that has happened since we parted on the bridge would be a long tale. Will you not first give us news of the Hobbits? Did you find them, and are they safe?"

"No, I did not find them," said Gandalf. "There was a darkness over the valleys of Emyn Muil, and I did not know of their captivity, until the eagle told me."

Camille was puzzled. _Eagle? _After a moment of thought, she remembered that during their hunt, Legolas had spotted an eagle flying high above them, too high for her eyes to see. _Maybe he meant that? _

"Yes," said Gandalf, responding to Legolas' question as to the identity of the eagle they saw. "That was Gwaihir the Windlord, who rescued me from Orthanc. I sent him before me to watch the River and gather tidings. His sight is keen, but he cannot see all that passes under hill and tree. Some things he has seen, and some I have seen myself. The Ring now has passed beyond my help, or the help of any of the Company that set out from Rivendell. Very nearly it was revealed to the Enemy, but it escaped. I had some part in that: for I sat in a high place, and I strove with the Dark Tower, and the Shadow passed. Though I was weary, very weary, and I walked long in dark thought."

"Then you know about Frodo!" said Gimli. "How do things go with him?"

"I cannot say. He was saved from a great peril, but many lie before him still. He resolved to go alone to Mordor, and he set out: that is all that I can say."

"Not alone," said Legolas. "We think that Sam went with him."

"Did he!" said Gandalf, and there was a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. "Did he indeed? It is news to me, yet it does not surprise me. Good! Very good! You lighten my heart. You must tell me more. Now sit by me and tell me the tale of your journey."

The companions and Eli sat on the ground at his feet, and Aragorn took up the tale, but leaving out – at least for the meantime – what Boromir said about Camille. When he was through, it was Eli's turn, telling them all of what had transpired while she went chasing after Merry and Pippin. She told them that they were very much alive, thankfully, and were being cared for by an old Ent named Treebeard. Apparently this was good, as Treebeard was an old friend of Gandalf's. Then Gandalf told them about what happened to him after he fell, how he and the Balrog strove for mastery, and how he had discovered the Endless Stairs of Moria that led from the lowest dungeon all the way up to the highest peaks of the mountains.

As he drew near to the end of his tale, Gandalf suddenly looked up. "Ah yes, I remember something now. The Lady Galadriel has requested that I send messages to you. To Aragorn I was bidden to say this:

"Where now are the Dunedain, Elessar, Elessar?

Why do thy kinsfolk wander afar?

Near is the hour when the Lost should come forth,

And the Gray Company ride from the North.

But dark is the path appointed for thee:

The Dead watch the road that leads to the Sea.

"To Legolas she sent this word:

"Legolas Greenleaf long under tree

In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!

If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,

Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more.

Gandalf fell silent and shut his eyes.

"Then she sent me no message?" said Gimli, and bent his head.

"Dark are her words," said Legolas, "and little do they mean to those who receive them."

Eli shrugged. "No news is good news, like we say back home."

Gimli glared at the two of them. "That is no comfort."

Camille grinned teasingly at the Dwarf. "So what do you want her to tell you: that you're going to die the minute you receive the message?"

"What is that?" said Gandalf, opening his eyes. "Yes, I think I can guess what her words mean. Your pardon Gimli, I was pondering the messages once again. But indeed she sent words to you, and neither dark nor sad: 'To Gimli son of Gloin,' she said, 'give his Lady's greeting. Lockbearer, wherever thou goest my thought goes with thee. But have a care to lay thine axe to the right tree!'."

"In happy hour you have returned to us, Gandalf!" cried the Dwarf, capering as he sang loudly in the strange dwarf-tongue. "Come, come!" he shouted, swinging his axe. "Since Gandalf's head is now sacred, let us find one that is right to cleave!"

"That will not be far to seek," said Gandalf, rising from his seat. "Come! We have spent all that is allowed to a meeting of parted friends. Now there is need of haste."

Camille smirked. "How are we going to 'go in haste', as you often like to say it, if we don't have horses? And I as sure as hell don't know how we're going to get ANYWHERE quick without them."

Eli snickered. "You ain't got to worry your pretty little head about them." She whistled thrice, and almost immediately, Camille could hear the galloping of horses over the plains. In minutes, not one, but FIVE horses came up towards them. One of them, Camille realized, was Blackwing.

She turned to Eli. _How the heck did she find Blackwing?! _She remembered that during one night, before they entered Fangorn, a strange figure that they suspected to be Saruman took away their horses. As she petted Blackwing's nose, she said, "Eli, how?"

Her best friend shrugged as they mounted their horses. "Gandalf said he found them wandering around with Shadowfax." She cocked an eyebrow upwards. "Aragorn mentioned something about Saruman spooking your horses. I guess they found Shadowfax at one point, and since he's their leader and all, decided to follow him everywhere he went, even when Gandalf called him."

Camille sighed. Gandalf leaned down to Shadowfax's ear, and they set off at a good pace. The other horses didn't need any signal or encouragement to follow; they started out willingly the moment Shadowfax started off.

"He is steering a straight course now for the halls of Theoden under the slopes of the White Mountain," said Gandalf. "It will be quicker so. The ground is firmer in the Eastemnet, where the chief northward track lies, across the river, but Shadowfax knows the way through every fen and hollow."

Thus they rode through the meads and river-lands. The ground was littered with many treacherous holes and bogs, but Shadowfax seemed to know the location of each, and led all of them through. In some places the grass was so high that it brushed the riders' knees, and the horses seemed to be swimming through an ocean of green. Slowly the sun fell from the sky down into the West. Looking out over the great plain, far away the riders saw it for a moment like a red fire sinking into the grass. Low upon the edge of sight shoulders of the mountains glinted red upon either side. A smoke seemed to rise up and darken the sun's disc to the hue of blood, as if it had kindled the grass as it passed down to the rim of the earth. 

"There lies the Gap of Rohan," said Gandalf. "It is now almost due west of us. That way lies Isengard."

"I see a great smoke," said Legolas. "What may that be?"

"Battle and war!" said Gandalf. "Ride on!"

Camille felt a deep uneasiness settle on her when Gandalf said the words "battle and war". _Why is it that when he says that, I feel like I'm not going to come out of it alive?_

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, done with this chapter at last. This was pretty hard to do, honestly it was. But hey, I like the way this story's been going thus far, and the promise that the ending has is good enough to drive me and to push me forwards. But as to WHAT kind of ending, and HOW it will go, I will leave to you readers to discover. Oh yeah, and the song up there is entitled "Can't Fight the Moonlight" by LeAnn Rimes, which I lifted off the "Coyote Ugly" soundtrack. Anyway, next up, the riders reach Edoras and Meduseld, the Hall of Theoden King of Rohan. The name of the Summoners shall be revealed to Grima Wormtongue, spy of Saruman, and he shall know their wrath. In other words, watch in awe and amazement as Camille and Eli show Wormtongue what an ANGRY Summoner can do! You thought their blowing up at Rivendell was good? Hah! This one's even better; especially if you consider the fact that they're close to the height of their powers. Ciao!!


	33. Chapter Thirty-two: In Which Wormtongue ...

Chapter Thirty-Two: In Which Wormtongue Gets Burned 

It was a bright, clear morning when they reached a wide grass-filled plain that ran between many low mounds that were covered also in grass. Eli looked at the mounds from where she sat atop Whitewing, and noticed that the western sides of the mounds seemed covered with a dusting of white: small flowers sprang there like countless stars amid the turf.

"Look!" said Gandalf. "How fair are the bright eyes in the grass! Evermind they are called, simbelmyne in this land of Men, for they blossom in all the seasons of the year, and grow where dead men rest. Behold! We are come to the great barrows where the sires of Theoden sleep."

"Seven mounds upon the left, and nine upon the right," said Aragorn. "Many long lives of men it is since the golden hall was built."

"Five hundred times have the red leaves fallen in Mirkwood in my home since then," said Legolas, "and but a little while it seems to us."

Camille sighed as she looked at the mounds. "Sixteen generations of Kings of Rohan all in all, not counting the one who is currently sitting on the throne." She smiled slightly then. "Not as old as most of the monarchies back home, right Eli?"

"Yup," Eli replied. "Some monarchies are thousands of years old."

"Then you might compare them to the Kings of Numenor, of which Aragorn is a descendant," said Gimli from where he was seated with Legolas on Arod. 

Eli smiled, and shook her head. "No, I don't think so. The Kings of Numenor have established a line far older than any that exist in our world." She smiled as she glanced at Aragorn. "And most of them don't have such a distinguished history and descendants when compared to Aragorn and his line."

With these words the travelers passed the silent mounds. Before they faded away completely behind her, Eli turned back, and whispered, "Rest in peace, great Kings of Rohan. We shall try to bring peace back to your lands with our own deeds." The wind blew past then, and rustled the flowers of simbelmyne on the hill, giving her an answer that only she could understand.

They continued on their journey, following the winding way up the green shoulders of the hills. It wasn't long before they came at last to the wide wind-swept walls and the gates of Edoras.

There sat many men and bright mail, who sprang at once to their feet and barred the way with spears. They yelled at them in some strange language that Eli didn't understand, though she suspected that it was the tongue of the people of Rohan. _It sounds a lot like the way Boromir used to talk. _

During all that time that she had been thinking, one of the men at the door had been to the inside and back. He spoke to Gandalf for a moment, and the gates were opened. They entered then in single file, following their guide. They were walking along a broad street, with houses made of wood with many dark doors lining it along the side. Alongside the street ran a stream of crystal clear water, trilling a merry sound as it ran by.

Eventually they reached the top of the hill. There stood a high platform above a green terrace, at the foot of which a bright spring gushed from a stone carved in the likeness of a horse's head; beneath was a wide basin from which the water spilled and fed the falling stream. Up the green terrace went a stair of stone, high and broad, and on either side of the topmost step were stone-hewn seats. There sat other guards, with drawn swords laid upon their knees. Their golden hair was braided on their shoulders; the sun was blazoned upon their green shields, their long corselets were burnished bright, and when they rose taller they seemed than mortal men.

At that moment the guide spoke again, though like before Eli couldn't understand what he was saying, and he left them. Eli followed Gandalf's lead as the walked up the stairs towards the high doors, falling in step with Camille for comfort. "This place is giving me the creeps," she whispered.

"Yeah," Camille replied quietly. "It's so…cold…like it's still winter here, and all this sunlight and spring is just an illusion." She shook her head. "There's something bad hanging all over this place, and whatever it is, I plan to get rid of it."

Eli nodded in approval. _Though what that bad feeling is, and how we're going to get rid of it, are questions we're going to have to answer later. _By this time they had reached the top, and the guards had greeted them. One of them stepped forward, and spoke in the Common Tongue, much to Eli's relief.

"I am the Doorward of Theoden," he said. "Hama is my name. Here I must bid you lay aside your weapons before you enter."

Then Legolas gave into his hand his silver-hafted knife, his quiver, and his bow. "Keep these well," he said, "for they come from the Golden Wood and the Lady of Lothlorien gave them to me."

Wonder came into the man's eyes, and he laid the weapons hastily by the wall, as if he feared to handle them. "No man will touch them, I promise you," he said.

Aragorn stood a while, hesitating. "It is not my will," he said, "to put aside my sword or to deliver Anduril to the hand of any other man."

"It is the will of Theoden," said Hama.

"It is not clear to me that the will of Theoden son of Thengel, even though he be Lord of the Mark, should prevail over the will over Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elendil's heir of Gondor."

"This is the house of Theoden, not of Aragorn, even were he King of Gondor in the seat of Denethor," said Hama, stepping swiftly before the doors and barring the way. His sword was now in his hand, and the point towards the strangers.

"This is idle talk," said Gandalf. "Needless is Theoden's demand, but it is useless to refuse. A king will have his way in his own hall, be it folly or wisdom."

"Truly," said Aragorn, "and I would do as the master of the house bade me, were this only a woodman's cot, if I bore now any sword but Anduril."

"Whatever its name may be," said Hama; "here you shall lay it, if you would not fight alone against all the men in Edoras."

"Not alone!" said Gimli, fingering the blade of his axe, and looking darkly up at the guard, as if he were a young tree that Gimli had a mind to fell. "Not alone!"

Eli rolled her eyes, and Camille shifted on her feet. _This is going absolutely nowhere. _Finally deciding to intervene, she stepped up beside Aragorn, and said, "Aragorn, just do as the man says. He's just doing his job, you know."

No response from the Dunadan.

Muttering curses under her breath in every language EXCEPT English and Elvish, Eli removed her sword from where it was tied to her waist, and handed it over to the now very surprised Hama. "Look, I'm giving over my own sword. If that's not enough, then I don't know what is." She turned to Hama, and smiled at him sweetly. "Take care of that for me, will you? If any man so much as draws it out of its sheath, may the wrath of the Blue Dragon come down and consume him."

Hama gulped, and nervously set the sword aside. "It will be as you have wished, My Lady."

Camille came up to him then, and handed over her bow and quiver. "Take care of that too," she said, with an equally saccharine smile on her face. "And if anyone so much as THINKS of taking it, the Crimson Phoenix will come swooping down on him and burn him to ashes. Am I clear on that?"

Once more, Hama swallowed nervously, and laid the bow and quiver beside Eli's sword. "As you wish, My Lady."

"Come, come!" said Gandalf. "We are all friends here. Or should be; for the laughter of Mordor will be our only reward, if we quarrel. My errand is pressing. Here at least is MY sword, Goodman Hama. Keep it well. Glamdring it is called, for the Elves made it long ago. Now let me pass. Come, Aragorn!"

Slowly Aragorn unbuckled his belt and himself set his sword upright against the wall. "Here I set it," he said, "but I command you not to touch it, nor to permit any other to lay hand on it. In this Elvish sheath dwells the Blade that was Broken and has been made again. Telchar first wrought it in the deeps of time. Death shall come to any man that draws Elendil's sword save Elendil's heir."

The guard stepped back and looked with amazement on Aragorn. "It seems that you have come on the wings of song out of the forgotten days," he said. "It shall be, lord, as you command."

"Well," said Gimli, "if it has Anduril to keep it company, my axe may stay there too, without shame;" and he laid it on the floor. "Now then, if all is as you wish, let us go and speak with your master."

The guard still hesitated. "Your staff," he said to Gandalf. "Forgive me, but that too must be left at the doors."

Eli's eyes widened. _What?! No way! _"That's stupid!" she burst out. "Wait, no, not stupid, but utterly, horridly RUDE!!! Gandalf's an OLD MAN, he NEEDS the staff to get around!" She paused for a moment to let her words sink in. "I hope you aren't seriously thinking of depriving him of his support, because if you are…well, I've got my OWN ways to make you change your mind." Suddenly, there was a hard blast of wind against the doors, and it was so strong that it made the heavy doors creak slightly on their hinges.

"Indeed, you have your ways, My Lady," said Hama nervously. But he composed himself rather quickly. "However, a staff in the hand of a wizard may be more than a prop for age." He looked hard at the ash-staff on which Gandalf leaned. "Yet in doubt a man of worth will trust to his wisdom. I believe you are friends and folk worthy of honor, who have no evil purpose. You may go."

*      *      *

Camille snickered when she was finally out of earshot from Hama. Tapping Eli on the shoulder, she gave her best friend a grin. "That was too cool, Eli."

Eli smirked too. "Not bad for a first try, eh? Though I think an earthquake from you would've had a better effect."

"Nah, it's good that I didn't. I was just about ready to make this whole place come falling down on their heads," Camille replied with an evil grin. Though they had handed over their visible weapons, she still had her kodachi strapped to her legs, where her cloak hid them. And she knew Eli had her kunai underneath her clothes, within easy reach. _At least we aren't going in here COMPLETELY helpless. _ 

They continued walking down the hall, Camille and Eli looking upon the things in it. The floor beneath them was paved with a mosaic of colored stones, forming runes and other strange designs all over it. Overhead, through small holes made for the escape of smoke, the sky was a clear but pale blue. The pillars were intricately carved, and gleamed with gold and colors that they couldn't really identify well because of the darkness. Many tapestries hung on the walls, some of them looking like they were newly made, but others were already dark with age. Only on one tapestry did the sunlight fall. It was of a young man with flowing yellow hair in braids, holding a horn to his lips. He sat astride a great horse, its head lifted as it neighed. Around its feet swirled water in green and white. Gandalf identified the man as Eorl the Young, founder of the Kingdom of Rohan.

They moved on, heading towards the very end of the long hallway. At last, they halted. At the far end of the house, facing north towards the doors, was a dais with three steps; and in the middle of the dais was a great gilded chair. Upon it sat a man so bent with age that he seemed almost a dwarf; but his white hair was long and thick and fell in great braids from beneath a thin golden circlet set upon his brow. In the center upon his forehead shone a single white diamond. His beard was laid like snow upon his knees; but his eyes still burned with a bright light, glinting as he gazed at the strangers. Behind his chair stood a woman clad in white. At his feet upon the steps sat a wizened figure of a man, with a pale wise face and heavy-lidded eyes.

The moment Camille laid eyes on the man who sat on the steps she stiffened. _That guy gives me a very bad feeling… _She didn't like the way he was looking at her and Eli. She leaned closer to her best friend, and muttered out of the corner of her mouth, "See the guy on the steps? I don't like him."

Eli nodded imperceptibly. "Got that right," she replied. "He stinks worse than a thief who's been caught in his own trap."

There was a silence. The old man did not move in his chair. At length Gandalf spoke. "Hail Theoden son of Thengel! I have returned. For behold! The storm comes, and all friends should gather together, lest each singly be destroyed."

Slowly the old man rose to his feet, leaning heavily upon a short black staff with a handle of white bone; and now the strangers saw that, bent though he was, he was still tall and must in youth have been high and proud indeed.

"I greet you," he said, "and maybe you look for welcome. But truth to tell your welcome is doubtful here, Master Gandalf. You have ever been a herald of woe. Troubles follow you like crows, and ever the oftener the worse. I will not deceive you: when I heard that Shadowfax had come back riderless, I rejoiced at the return of the horse, but still more at the lack of the rider; and when Eomer brought the tidings that you had gone at last to your long home, I did not mourn. But news from afar is seldom sooth. Here you come again! And with you come evils worse than before, as might be expected. Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow? Tell me that." Slowly he sat down again in his chair.

"You speak justly, lord," said the pale man sitting upon the steps of the dais. "It is not yet five days since the bitter tidings came that Theodred your son was slain upon the West Marches: your right-hand, Second Marshal of the Mark. In Eomer there is little trust. Few men would be left to guard your walls, if he had been allowed to rule. And even now we learn from Gondor that the Dark Lord is stirring in the East. Such is the hour in which this wanderer chooses to return. Why indeed should we welcome you, Master Stormcrow? Lathspell I name you, Ill-news; and ill news is an ill guest they say." He laughed grimly, as he lifted his heavy lids for a moment and gazed on the strangers with dark eyes.

Camille did all she could to lower the sudden surge of energy in her veins. The way the man was looking at her made her want to torch him, or at least make the floor open up so the earth could swallow him whole. All around them the torches flared more brightly, and the flames in the fireplaces leapt upwards higher in reaction to her barely contained rage.

"You are held wise, my friend Wormtongue, and are doubtless a great support to your master," said Gandalf in a soft voice. "Yet in two ways may a man come with evil tidings. He may be a worker of evil; or he may be such as leaves well alone, and comes only to bring aid in time of need."

"That is so," said Wormtongue; "but there is a third kind: pickers of bones, meddlers in other men's sorrows, carrion-fowl that grow fat on war. What aid have you ever brought, Stormcrow? And what aid do you bring now? It was aid from us that you sought last time that you were here. Then my lord bade you choose any horse that you would and be gone; and to the wonder of all you took Shadowfax in your insolence. My lord was sorely grieved; yet to some it seemed that to speed you from the land the price was not too great. I guess that it is likely to turn out the same once more: you will seek aid rather than render it. Do you bring men? Do you bring horses, swords, spears? That I would call aid; that is our present need. But who are these that follow at your tail? Three ragged wanderers in gray, and you the most beggar-like of the four! And these wenches…did you bring them for your pleasure on the road, Stormcrow? So you would not only have one of the King's best horses for yourself, but women as well!"

Camille felt her temper snap inside, but forced herself to maintain a calm surface. She glanced at the others out of the corner of her eye, and noticed that they weren't any better. Legolas seemed to be itching for his bow or at least his knife; Aragorn was glancing back towards the door as if he would bolt at any minute and get Anduril; and Gimli was all ready to tackle Wormtongue and strangle him to death. Eli, on the other hand, was calm on the outside, but her eyes were flickering dangerously. Outside, the wind whipped hard against the stone, whistling eerily. 

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden son of Thengel," said Gandalf. "Has not the messenger from the gate reported the names of my companions? Seldom has any lord of Rohan received such guests. Weapons they laid at your doors that are worth many a mortal man, even the mightiest. Gray is their raiment, for the Elves clad them, and thus they have passed through the shadow of great peril to your halls. And as for these 'wenches'… Pray, Wormtongue, that you never call them as such again. They are no ordinary young girls, for within them lies a power that would be sufficient to defy even the Dark Lord himself, once it reaches its full capacity. The Elves hold them in the highest esteem, for they are the fulfillment of a prophecy that has long since been forgotten save by a few loremasters, and they are the only sure hope we have of ever defeating the Shadow in Mordor. If you say anything that would insult them, then you will feel the wrath against you that lies within them even as we speak, and no power in this world will be able to stop it."

"Then it is true, as Eomer reported, that you are in league with the Sorceress of the Golden Wood?" said Wormtongue. "It is not to be wondered at: webs of deceit were ever woven in Dwimordene. And you bring two witches with you as well."

That was the last straw. Camille clenched her fists, and the magical power in her flowed out unrestrained. It was met by a somewhat colder energy, and realized that Eli had snapped too. She smirked. _Ooh Wormtongue, you're SO going to get it from us. _Anything in the hall that was kindled, whether to provide warmth, light, or both, suddenly flickered more brightly than before, and through any crevasse that could be found a chill wind blew. "Gandalf warned you, Wormtongue," she began, "but you didn't listen. We've had it up to HERE with you, and you're going to pay for the insults you have hurled at us and our friends."

Eli strode forward, the sign of the Tiger gleaming bright on her brow. "No one, and I mean NO ONE insults the Lady Galadriel. And who gave you the right to judge her and us? For one, you haven't seen her before, and for another, you haven't seen US until now." Her eyes narrowed. "You are going to pay dearly, Wormtongue."

*      *      *

Eowyn watched with awe and amazement as the two girls whom Wormtongue had called "wenches" strode forward together; each had a strange symbol that looked like a rune glowing brightly upon her brow. _Gandalf was right, _she thought. _Their power is indeed great. _

When she had seen this small group clad in gray walk into the hall, she had not suspected that the two figures that followed them towards the back were girls. They walked with determined strides, and held their cloaked heads high, as though they were young soldiers. But when the hoods were cast aside, and their features revealed to all, it was only then that Eowyn saw that they were female. Queenly in bearing they seemed, but their eyes showed the ferocity of a tried warrior, and there was also care upon their faces, as would be seen on the face of one who had seen much trial and hardship.

But now they seemed terrible to look upon, terrible, but beautiful. And suddenly everything that had flames upon it in the hall – torches, braziers, fireplaces – flared with a new and sudden life. A cold wind blew in through whatever windows were open and through every crevasse. The servants attempted to shut the windows, but it was folly, for they were no match for the wind.

They spoke together then, voices filled with the mighty power that Gandalf had spoken of, "Still your venomous tongue, you Man of Dark Heart and Dark Intent! Your poison will cloud this hall no longer! By the power of the Wind and the Flame, we purge this place of your wickedness!"

The words had barely left their lips when a wild gust of wind blew in, passing by the torches that lined the hall. Instead of blowing out, they glowed brighter, and with the wind went tongues of flashing flame. The wind wrapped itself around Wormtongue in an inescapable barrier of breeze and fire.

Gandalf raised his staff. There was a roll of thunder. The sunlight was blotted out from the eastern windows; the whole hall suddenly became dark as night. The fire faded to sullen embers. Only Gandalf and the girls could be seen: the former standing tall and white against the blackened hearth, the latter two shining with their own light beside him.

There was a flash as if lighting had cloven the roof. Then all was silent. Wormtongue sprawled on his face. And soon, the whirlwind of fire and breeze died away, and all was calm once again.

"Now Theoden son of Thengel, will you hearken to me?" said Gandalf. "Do you ask for help?" He lifted his staff and pointed to a high window. There the darkness seemed to clear, and through the opening could be seen, high and far, a patch of shining sky. "Not all is dark. Take courage, Lord of the Mark; for better help you will not find. No counsel have I to give to those who despair. Yet counsel I could give, and words I could speak to you. Will you hear them? They are not for all ears. I bid you come out before your doors and look abroad. Too long have you sat in shadows and trusted to twisted tales and crooked promptings."

Eowyn watched with amazement as Theoden slowly rose from his chair. She immediately left her position from behind the chair, and took his arm, leading him as he walked with faltering steps down from the dais and paced softly through the hall. She looked over her shoulder at Wormtongue. He remained lying on the floor. They came to the doors and Gandalf knocked.

"Open!" he cried. "The King of the Mark comes forth!"

The doors rolled back and a keen air came whistling in. A wind was blowing on the hill.

"Send your guards down to the stairs' foot," said Gandalf. He turned to Eowyn then, his eyes clear and piercing beneath his gray brows. "And you, lady, leave him a while with me. I shall care for him."

Eowyn stood stock-still, and gripped her mother-brother's arm more tightly. _He cannot let me do that! I do not wish to leave my King! No!_

But Theoden's hand came on her wrist, and he said, "Go, Eowyn sister-daughter! The time for fear is past."

Knowing that there was no use arguing with her king, she turned and went slowly into the house. As she walked past the doors she looked at each of the mysterious guests in turn. First the Dwarf, then the Elf, and then the two girls. They smiled at her as she wandered by, and she allowed herself to smile back at them, though it was only a small one. And then her eye fell upon the last of the wanderers. He was tall, like the Men of Gondor, and noble of bearing. He seemed young, and yet he looked wise with many winters, an heir of kings, gray-cloaked, hiding a power that yet she felt.

She was instantly enamored of him. The moment his steely gray eyes met her own blue, she felt an electric shock pass up and down her body. She wished to remain like this forever, a willing captive of his gaze. But then, reality came rushing back to her, and turned away. _I must leave now; else they would think me a fool. _

But as she fled up to her chambers, her thoughts dwelt on the man whom she had seen, and how much she admired him.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And fin! So, how did you like what I did to Wormtongue ^_^? Actually, I wanted to kill him already at this point in the story, but then I remembered that he's still needed to cause trouble at Orthanc! After all, if it weren't for him then the Palantir wouldn't have found its way to Gandalf's possession. And it's needed, right? Aragorn has to take possession of it later on in the story. Up next, there's going to be a feast thingy in honor of the arrival of Gandalf's party and in honor of the Riding of the Rohirrim. What happens while at the feast? Read on to find out!


	34. Chapter Thirty-three: Battle Maidens

Chapter Thirty Three: Battle Maidens 

Eli looked at herself critically in the full-length mirror of the room she shared with Camille. "Hey Camille, do I look good in this color?"

Camille smirked from where she was sitting in front of the dressing table, braiding her hair into her usual elegant but functional French plait. To make it a little dressier, she had twined a long strand of emeralds into it, to match the forest-green dress she had chosen to wear to the feast. The Pendant of Lothlorien gleamed against the skin just below her throat. "Since when did you care about your looks?"

"Don't give me that," Eli growled back. She was currently wearing a blue velvet gown with silver embroidery all over the bodice and part of the skirt. Half her hair she had pulled back into a bun near the top of her head, and the rest she braided to make it look like a little tail to the bun. To give it a more formal look, she had taken a long link of sapphires set in silver, and worked it through the bun and into the braid. Around her neck hung the Pendant of Imladris, the diamond twinkling in the firelight.

Eli touched it thoughtfully. _Elladan…Elrohir…when am I going to see you guys again? I really miss you…_ She still hadn't made up her mind about which of the two she really liked, and it made her worried. _I know I'm supposed to be with Elladan…but…what's this THING in my heart that's telling me I should be with Elrohir?!?! Oh God, this is SO not good! _

Just then, there was a knock on their door. "I'll get it!" Camille said as she stood up and walked up to the door. Eli looked up just as her best friend opened it, and noticed Lady Eowyn standing in the doorway, flanked by her two handmaidens.

Eli grinned at her. "Oh, hi Lady Eowyn! Do come in!"

The White Lady of Rohan smiled graciously at them as she and her handmaidens swept in. "Good evening, Lady Camille, Lady Eli! I hope that I find you well this evening." She looked at them, and her smile grew wider. "Well then, I suppose that I will not need my handmaids after all!" With that she waved, and the two maids disappeared outside into the hall, pulling the door closed behind them.

"What do you mean, you won't need your handmaids?" Camille asked curiously as Eowyn walked over to one of the beds, and sat down.

Eowyn smiled. "I had thought that you would need their services to prepare for the feast, but seeing now that you have dressed yourselves, I supposed that you would not need them anymore."

Eli smiled back at her. "Thanks for being so thoughtful, but Camille and I can dress ourselves just fine on our own. Though there are times when we want to be spoiled or are too lazy to do anything ourselves, and that's when your handmaids would've come in handy."

Eowyn laughed cheerfully. "Indeed, Lady Eli?"

"Before we go on, could you skip the 'Lady' bit and just call us by our names? We aren't nobles, so we don't really deserve that title," Camille said.

Eowyn looked at them for a moment, then smiled slyly. "I shall agree to that, but only if you shall do the same to me."

"It's a deal…Eowyn," Eli said with a smile.

Camille bounded up then towards Eowyn, plopping down in the seat beside her. "Well, now that everyone's friends here, why don't you start by telling us what's been going on here in Rohan before we got here."

Eowyn began to tell them of how life had been for her in Rohan, and somewhere in the middle of her story, she mentioned something about wanting to get out of the cage she had been living in.

She sighed wistfully. "You do not know how greatly I desired to be freed from these walls! I wish to ride to war and to battle! I am a shieldmaiden; I was not meant to sit at home in the halls and do embroidery to pass the time! I was meant to go forth onto the battlefield with the other Riders, to join them in their feats of courage as they seek fame and glory!" She turned to them then. "When I first saw you in the halls, I thought that you were soldiers in the train of Gandalf. Only later did I realize that you were, indeed, young women. Please, I wish to hear of your exploits in the field, for I have not yet met any woman who has dared to do what you seem to have done."

So Eli and Camille told her their story, starting from the very beginning. But they had to cut their story just at the part wherein they reached Moria, because it was at that time that one of the servants decided to show up and tell them to get down to the feast.

Eowyn sighed, and stood up, smoothing out the creases in her long white gown. "It seems that your story will have to wait until later. Come, let us go."

*      *      *

Legolas could not believe what Aragorn said. "Are you certain that it would be right to bring them with us to Isengard?! Would it not be too dangerous?"

Aragorn shook his head. "No, I do not think so. They have proven their skill time and again on the battlefield, and I believe that they would be able to fend for themselves." He smiled sardonically then. "And I do not wish to face them when they are angered. You know as well as I do what they are capable of doing when they are in a rage."

Legolas only laughed helplessly, remembering what had happened to Wormtongue that day. _Yes, Aragorn is right. It is best not to leave them out of anything…_ One part of his heart rejoiced at this, for it meant that Camille would remain close to him, but another screamed back at him that he should leave his love in Edoras for her own safety, in spite of the fact that it would rend his heart to pieces.

He heard the guests at the feast stirring at that moment, and he looked up to see what the commotion was all about. He watched then as Eowyn, the White Lady of Rohan and sister of Eomer, walked in through the door at the end of the hall. Beside her walked Camille and Eli.

Legolas smiled as he beheld his beloved, clad all in forest-green, emeralds twinkling in her hair like a multitude of green stars. About her throat lay the Pendant of Lothlorien, glimmering softly in the light of the torches and the candles. Eli, on the other hand, was dressed in a midnight-blue velvet gown, sapphires glinting in her hair that she had put up in a rather unusual style. The Pendant of Imladris shone like a star against the velvet bodice of her gown.

He was so enamored of the sight that he beheld that he barely heard Aragorn chuckle beside him. The Ranger leaned closer to him, and whispered in Elvish, ^I believe that you must go to the aid of your beloved, Master Elf, else I fear some other Man will make off with her.^

Those words made Legolas come falling back to reality. _What?! _Indeed, when he looked, he noticed that Eli and Camille were hemmed in by a group of Riders, most of them requesting that they be the escort of one of the girls, or even both. The fire of jealousy was rekindled in Legolas' heart, and now raged more hotly than when he found out that Boromir had harbored feelings for Camille. For Boromir was now out of the way, painful though his death had been, but THIS was an entirely different situation. And even if Boromir were alive and had requested to escort Camille, Legolas would have granted him the privilege, jealous though he might have been; for Boromir was a trusted friend, and an honorable lord. _How dare these Men approach her?! They are not worthy of her attentions! _

With a determined force behind his movements Legolas stood up, and walked over to where the girls were. As he approached, he smiled at them. "Ah, you have appeared at last, Fair One!" he called, placing emphasis on the last two words that all the Riders would hear. He broke through the circle of Riders who were attempting to win his beloved over, and stood before her, a smile upon his face. "If I had known that you would come to this hall with no escort, I would have come and taken you here myself!" At these words he bent down and pressed a kiss to her hand, then pulled her closer to him, putting one hand possessively on the small of her back, while with the other he grasped her own hand.

Aragorn appeared then at that moment, and, smiling, bowed to Eli. "Indeed, Legolas is right. You should have told me, dear foster-sister," he said, also placing emphasis on the last two words, his intentions the same as Legolas'. He took Eli's hand, and placed it on his arm. That accomplished, they led the two girls to their seats at the table.

The two girls laughed as they passed through the circle of Riders, though there was also a tinge of relief in their voices. "Thanks for pulling us out of there, Legolas, Aragorn," Eli said with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah, that was too close," Camille agreed as she sat down in her chair. Legolas sat down in his own seat to the left of her, while Eli sat down on her right. To Eli's right sat Aragorn. And it was then that the feasting began.

*      *      *

Camille had a hard time suppressing her laughter after that story Eomer told them, the one about a horse, a serpent, and himself. _Where does Eomer GET these stories?! _Since he sat across from her at the table, they were able to converse with one another easily, with Eli, Legolas and Aragorn joining in every now and then. Supper was winding down, and most of the food was gone, having been consumed by a group of Riders and warriors with VERY healthy appetites. So now most of the people were merely talking, laughing and drinking wine in copious quantities.

It was then that Theoden chose to speak to them. For the most part he had been talking to Gandalf, the two of them discussing something that most likely concerned their ride to Isengard the following day, but whatever they had been talking about seemed to have been concluded or agreed upon, because he turned then to Eli and Camille, and there was a glint of curiosity in his eye. "Now then Gandalf, I wish to hear of these two most extraordinary young ladies! I have witnessed their power in my halls, and I know that there is a tale behind it all."

Gandalf laughed easily. "Ah yes, Theoden, these girls are indeed extraordinary. I shall not reveal to you the name of their homeland – that is a secret they shall give only to those whom they will – but I can tell you what it is like. In that land males are not the sovereigns of the female race; they are considered equals and are treated as such. In light of this matter, these two young ladies have been trained in the art of wielding the blade – or, as in Camille's case, TWO blades. And the fashion in which they use them would most assuredly astound even the greatest swordsmen of Middle-Earth."

Eomer smiled, interested. "Is this indeed true, Master Gandalf? Save for my sister Eowyn, I have not yet encountered any other woman who knows how to use a sword."

Aragorn spoke up then. "I shall willingly vouch for their skill, Master Eomer. And I speak as one who has seen them fight many battles against Orcs."

"Would you care to describe?"

"When they are in a battle, they do not immediately draw their blades. They merely place their hands upon the hilt, lying in wait. And then, when the danger is upon them, there is a flash of cold biting steel, and the enemy lies dead at their feet. Once this happens, there is no hope of survival for the other enemies they may go up against, for they are swifter than any save Elven-eyes can see, and predicting their moves is futile. They bother not with parrying attacks; all they aim for is the weak spot."

Camille smirked. "Well how're you going to kill anything if you don't aim for its weak spot? And besides, bothering with parrying attacks and all that just wastes time and tires one out. Hit hard, and hit fast, as my father once told me when we were training."

"But don't lash out so fast that your enemy can predict your move," Eli added. "That's one of the main reasons why we don't draw our swords right away; it makes the enemy think we're not going attack, thus luring them in and allowing them to execute whatever move they had planned. Also, that's why we never bother with parrying attacks with a sword unless absolutely necessary. Just dodging the blade does many advantageous things: one, it annoys the enemy. Two, since they're annoyed, they'll be more likely to do things that aren't well planned out. And three, dodging conserves energy that would normally have to be used in lifting the sword and parrying, so we have a much longer endurance in a fight."

Gimli rolled his eyes from where he sat to Legolas' left. "Hah, those words slip easily from your lips. You and Camille are quick on your feet. You do not think I did not observe how you moved during your duel at Hollin? Why, if I did not know any better I would think that you were dancing upon the very air itself!"

"For that is how it seems to us mere observers," Legolas said. "In form and motion it resembles a dance, but it is a dance of death and carnage, for as they move to the rhythm that only their ears can perceive, the steel of their blades wreaks havoc amongst their foes."

Theoden smiled bemusedly at them. "I am impressed, My Ladies, that these warriors and Gandalf would say such of your skill. It seems that the old tales and legends of Battle Maidens has rung true in you. Many stories have told of women warriors who rode in the armies of Men during the Last Alliance, and their deeds are sometimes sung still. But this shall be the first time that I behold the fulfillment of such legends." He frowned then. "However, I do not think that there is armor in the hoards of Edoras that would be suitable for you. And this is a war; you cannot go without armor."

Camille glanced at Eli, and for a moment, their gazes locked. Their thoughts passed silently between them, and in moments, they smiled. Camille turned to Theoden, and waved her hand. "Thanks for the offer, Your Majesty, but I think Eli and I can manage on our own."

"Are you certain of this?" Eomer queried. "If the blacksmiths were to work over the night, I believe that they would have at least shields ready for you by the morrow…"

"And if I work with them, helms as well," Gimli offered.

Eli shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but really, we'll be fine." She grinned. "Have any of you heard of the saying 'The gods will provide'?"

When there was a unanimous nod from those she was speaking to, Eli continued, "Well then, that's your answer. All you have to do is scrap the word 'gods', replace it with 'Spirits', and you'll see what I mean."

Camille nearly laughed out loud when she saw the expressions on their faces, particularly the ones on Eomer and Theoden's. "Oh, you'll just find everything out tomorrow!"

*      *      *

Aragorn walked towards the gate of Meduseld, where there was assembled a great host of men, young and old, all ready in the saddle. More than a thousand were there mustered. Their spears were like a springing wood. Loudly and joyously they shouted as Theoden came forth. Some held in readiness the king's steed, Snowmane, and others held Hasufel and Arod.

_But where are Shadowfax, Whitewing and Blackwing? _He realized then that the three horses were not present amongst the ones that were there. He looked back towards the great door of the hall, waiting for Camille and Eli to make their appearance.

When Aragorn had gone to their rooms to awaken them and tell them that they were about to leave, they had refused to open the door for him and speak to him directly. They only told him that they would be out in a few moments. From inside, he could hear Camille cursing and telling Eli to help her put something on.

But now, as he looked, he saw two flashes of color come running down the steps to the gate. One of the flashes was red, and the other was blue. He smiled as he realized who was approaching. _Eli and Camille._

When the girls had declined the offer of Eomer and Gimli to make some form of armor for them, he had found it rather odd. They were going to war, and they could not afford to fight unprotected the way they usually did. They would not accept even corselets of chain mail! But when Eli had put forth the riddle that 'the gods would provide', Aragorn realized that they were expecting the Spirits to give them armor. _However, what sort of armor it will be we do not know, and we shall only find out now. _

They rushed past the gate then, all smiles and cheerful expressions. "Sorry we're late!" Camille apologized to all those present. "Eli and I had a little trouble figuring out where everything went!"

A dead silence had risen through the mustered warriors.

Eli blinked. "What? Why's everyone so quiet all of a sudden? I could hear you from a mile away a minute ago and now all I can hear is breathing."

Gandalf chuckled uncomfortably then, and approached the two girls. "And a good morning to you, my dears! As usual, you maintain your reputation for shocking entrances!"

_Shocking does not even begin to describe this, _Aragorn thought dryly as he looked at what sort of armor the Summoners were wearing. They were wearing close-fitting shirts with sleeves that covered their arms, and over this was a breastplate that was contoured to fit their feminine curves and angles. Breeches – red for Camille and blue for Eli – and boots that touched their knees, matched this. Each had a long flowing cape in her favored color that swept the ground and gave them a regal air. They also had bracers, intricately designed and inlaid with many gems. Their hands were sheathed in soft leather gloves that fitted well to their fingers. Bejeweled belts were clasped around their slender waists, and to these were attached their swords. Instead of helms, they wore bands over their hair, adorned with jewels and gold and silver. But each band had an unusual ornament. For Camille it was a pair of bird wings in gold, spreading out from just behind her ears. For Eli, it was a pair of dragon wings in silver, also spreading out from behind her ears and arching upwards slightly.

Camille shrugged. "Well, you know us. We love to make grand entrances." She looked around then. "Hey, wait a minute. Where're Blackwing and Whitewing?"

"Running wild over the grass with their brother Shadowfax, My Ladies," Eomer answered, still staring at them in utter shock. "They will let no man handle them. There they go, away down by the ford, like shadows among the willows."

Gandalf whistled and called aloud the horses' names, and far away they tossed their heads and neighed, and turning sped towards the host like arrows. As they approached, however, the host noticed that Blackwing and Whitewing also had an unusual ornament. On the bridle of Blackwing was a silver snake with emerald eyes, and on Whitewing's was embroidered a tiger, with eyes of flickering amber.

"The gift seems already given," said Theoden. "But hearken all! Here now I name my guest Gandalf Grayhame, wisest of counselors, most welcome of wanderers, a lord of the Mark, and chieftain of the Eorlingas while our kin shall last; and give to him Shadowfax, prince of horses. And here now I name the Ladies Elisabeth and Camille shieldmaidens and warriors of the Mark, redoubtable in all skills of war. I also give to them Blackwing and Whitewing, sisters of Shadowfax, whom none else have been able to mount."

"I thank you, Theoden King," said Gandalf. 

Eli and Camille bowed. "We thank you for your generous gift to us, Your Majesty," Camille murmured.

Eli nodded. "We shall do our best to help win this war, Your Majesty. The Golden Phoenix and the White Dragon will see to it."

Aragorn watched as they mounted their horses, and he too got onto Hasufel. To his left was Eomer, with who sat Gimli, and Legolas was to Eomer's left. He waited for Eli and Camille to come closer upon their mounts, and when they were close enough, smiled at them. "I feel that I have reason enough to believe that THIS was the reason you did not want me to see you this morning."

A crooked grin appeared on each of the girl's faces. "Damn right you are," Camille replied as she drew up Blackwing so that she was beside Arod. "You know I never figured out how you males manage to put up with all this armor. Given a chance I'd ditch this silly breastplate in the next river we come to. I'd take one of those Kevlar vests they sell in our world anytime."

"But I don't think Kevlar's any good against swords and spears and arrows," Eli said thoughtfully.

"They never tried."

"Good point."

The trumpets sounded. The horses reared and neighed. Spear clashed on shield. Then the king raised his hand, and with a rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West.

Far over the plain Eowyn saw the glitter of their spears, as she stood still, alone before the doors of the silent house.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, done! Now I had a HARD time writing the description for the girls' armor, especially the headbands they were wearing. THAT idea I kind of pilfered from Magic Knight Rayearth, but hey, it's something that appears often enough in video games and movies (I think). Anyway, onwards! The last host of Rohan is heading towards Isengard, but along they way they're informed that Helm's Deep is in sore need of defenders. Just watch and learn, kiddies! Ciao!!!


	35. Chapter Thirty-four: Battle at Helm's De...

Chapter Thirty Four: Battle at Helm's Deep 

Camille sighed as they rode ever onwards towards Isengard, preparing for their eventual meeting with Saruman. _This is SO not good… _As they got closer and closer to their destination, she could feel the air starting to fill up with more tension, growing heavier and heavier. In the afternoon the dark clouds began to overtake them: a somber canopy with great billowing edges flecked with dazzling light. The sun went down, blood red in a smoking haze. As the sun set the spear tips of the Riders were glazed in a crimson hue like that of blood, as if foretelling of what would happen to them later on.

Suddenly, the whole cavalcade stopped. _What? _She leaned towards Legolas, who was riding upon Arod next to her and Blackwing, and whispered, "What's up?"

"There is a rider approaching us," Legolas replied, his far-seeing eyes knowing right away what was coming towards them even before the very head of the group could tell what it was. "He seems weary, and his shield is cloven and his helm is dinted. It appears he has come from a hard battle."

Camille gulped. _Not good. He's coming from the way we're headed… Something tells me that once we get there, it's going to be another LOOOONG day. _

The man they had been watching slowly climbed from his horse, and walked up to them, and attempted to recover his breath before he spoke at last. "Is Eomer here?" he asked. "You come at last, but too late, and with too little strength. Things have gone evilly since Theodred fell. We were driven back yesterday over the Isen with great loss; many perished at the crossing. Then at night fresh forces came over the river against our camp. All Isengard must be emptied; and Saruman has armed the wild hillmen and herdfolk of Dunland beyond the rivers, and these also he loosed upon us. We were overmastered. The shield-wall was broken. Erkenbrand of Westfold has drawn off those men he could gather towards his fastness in Helm's Deep. The rest are scattered.

"Where is Eomer? Tell him there is no hope ahead. He should return to Edoras before the wolves of Isengard come there."

Theoden had sat silent, hidden from the man's sight behind his guards; now he urged his horse forward. "Come, stand before me, Ceorl!" he said. "I am here. The last host of the Eorlingas has ridden forth. It will not return without battle."

The man's face lightened with joy and wonder. He drew himself up, and then he knelt, offering his notched sword to the king. "Command me, lord!" he cried. "And pardon me! I thought-"

"You thought I remained in Meduseld bent like an old tree under winter snow. So it was when you rode to war. But a west wind has shaken the boughs," said Theoden. "Give this man a fresh horse! Let us ride to the help of Erkenbrand!"

While all of this was going on, Camille noticed Gandalf go a little ways ahead of them, looking north to Isengard then west to the setting sun. _What's he up to? _After a few moments, Gandalf rode back to them, calling out to them.

"Ride Theoden!" he said. "Ride to Helm's Deep! Go not to the Fords of Isen, and do not tarry in the plain! I must leave you for a while. Shadowfax must bear me now on a swift errand." He glanced in their direction then, he cried, "Keep well the Lord of the Mark, till I return. Await me at Helm's Gate! Farewell!" And with that, he was off like a shot.

Camille looked at Eli then. "What're we going to do?"

Eli smirked. "What he asked us to do, duh."

"We could follow him, you know. Blackwing and Whitewing could catch up to Shadowfax with no trouble."

"No, that is not wise," said Aragorn with a shake of the head. "He has his own errand, and we have ours. Unfortunately our errand does not go along the same way as his. We are needed elsewhere."

The host turned then, bending their course southwards. Camille looked over her shoulder towards the north, and with a final sigh, followed the others as they headed towards Helm's Deep.

*      *      *

"It's dark."

Eli shook her head, rolling her eyes as she did so. "As if you aren't stating the obvious already, Camille."

Her best friend frowned at her from where she sat upon a parapet. "Well Miss Know-It-All, for your information I'm scared of the dark, and if that trip through Moria wasn't enough to leave me traumatized for the rest of my life, THIS is just making it worse." She looked up to the sky in a prayerful manner. "Jeez, what I wouldn't give for the moon, or even a couple of stars."

Eli rolled her eyes again. _Complain, complain, complain… _She lifted her head from the ground, and looked at the Dike. The darkness was so thick that she could barely make out the little pinpoints of light that came from the enemy camp before them. 

They had arrived at Helm's Deep a while ago, and the moment they got there Eomer wasted no time in arranging the defenses. For the most part he left her, Camille, Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas alone, to put themselves where they would, though he preferred that the two girls would stay with the King in the Hornburg, as far away from danger as possible. However, the two girls flat-out refused his offer, insisting that they were better suited to stay up on the very wall itself, where Gimli and Legolas were. Aragorn said that he would join them later on, for he was currently with Theoden and Eomer, discussing strategy.

Just a little further down the wall, Eli could hear Legolas and Gimli arguing about who would be able to kill the most Orcs. She snickered when she heard the "discussion". She looked up at Camille, and asked, "Do you hear that, Camille? Legolas and Gimli are arguing about who's going to kill the most Orcs."

"Hah, as if!" Camille exclaimed with a snort. "You could do better than BOTH of them."

Eli laughed. "And what about you? Aren't you going to join?"

"Nah, no thanks. I know you're going to win anyways."

The two of them moved towards the two males, who were still busily bickering about who was going to do the most mass-slaughter. Eli stood there, and said, "Okay, I heard you two, and I want to join."

Legolas and Gimli looked at her then, and there was a challenging glint in their eyes. "Are you certain of that offer?" Gimli asked 

Eli quirked up an eyebrow. "I never back down from a challenge, especially one I've made myself."

"Are you going to join, Camille?" Legolas asked. 

Camille shook her head. "No thank you. I'd rather spare myself from the humiliation of losing, especially where Eli is concerned."

Eli grinned. _You're too smart for your own good sometimes, Camille. _She tilted her head. "So, what're the stakes?" 

Legolas was about to tell her, but then, yells and screams broke out from the Dike, along with the fierce battle cries of men. Flaming brands appeared over the brink and clustered thickly at the breach. Then they scattered and vanished. Men came galloping back over the field and up the ramp to the gate of the Hornburg. The rearguard of the Westfolders had been driven in.

"The enemy is at hand!" they said. "We loosed every arrow that we had, and filled the Dike with Orcs. But it will not halt for long. Already they are scaling the bank at many points, thick as marching ants. But we have taught them not to carry torches."

Eli gritted her teeth. _Damn! _She turned quickly on her heel, and headed towards the path that led to the postern-door, which opened on a path that led to the Hornburg Gates, where she was certain the enemies would be thickest. For a moment the darkness was illuminated by a flash of lightning, and was quickly followed by a rumble of thunder. When she reached the Gate, rain had started to pour. And along with the rain came a volley of arrows so thick that it was a veritable cloud. Fortunately, Eli managed to duck behind a pillar, and so was not struck, but some other soldiers who were standing at the Gate were not as fortunate. She held back, waiting, watching.

Brazen trumpets sounded. The enemy surged forward, some against the Deeping Wall, other towards the causeway and the ramp that led up the Gate. There, like she anticipated, the hugest Orcs were mustered, and the Wildmen of the Dunland fells. A moment they hesitated and then on they came. The lightning flashed, and in the moment of brilliance Eli saw blazoned on every shield and helm the device of the White Hand. _Saruman,_ she thought darkly. They reached the summit of the rock; they drove towards the Gate.

It was only then that the reply from the defenders came. Eli dropped down to the ground as arrows came whistling overhead, raining down on the enemy troops, their steel tips glinting in the flashes of lightning that periodically emerged from the storm clouds above. Along with the arrows flew rocks and other kinds of debris that could possibly do damage. 

The enemy wavered, broke, and fled back; and then charged again, broke and charged again; and each time, they halted at a higher point. Again trumpets rang, and a press of roaring men leapt forth. They held their shields over their heads like a roof, while in their midst they bore two trunks of mighty trees. Behind them Orc-archers crowded, sending a hail of darts against the bowmen on the walls. They gained the gates. The trees, swung by strong arms, smote the timbers with a rending boom.

At that moment, Aragorn and Eomer appeared at either side of her. She grinned at the two Men. "It's now or never."

Aragorn and Eomer nodded, and together the three of them sprang through the door, a group of other soldiers just behind them. Eli watched as Eomer and Aragorn drew their swords together, the blades flashing from the sheath as one.

"Guthwine!" cried Eomer. "Guthwine for the Mark!"

"Anduril!" cried Aragorn. "Anduril for the Dunedain!"

Eli rolled her eyes, and just charged when they were finished. _Jeez, they'd be able to slaughter more Orcs and get this over with if they don't stop to yell out the names of their swords and whom they're fighting for! _As for herself, she made sure that the only things she truly killed were Orcs; the Men of Dunland she only incapacitated and injured, but not mortally.

Soon Aragorn and Eomer joined her in battle, and they were doing a pretty good job themselves. The battle was hard, and the enemies were many, and even Eli sustained injuries, but they were only bruises and light scratches. Either way, she didn't pay them any heed; her mind was focused completely on the fight at hand. 

A shout went up from wall and tower: "Anduril! Anduril goes to war. The Blade that was Broken shines again! And see how the Blue Battle Maiden drives through the enemy ranks! Her blade is sharp, and she is fell-handed. Her beauty strikes terror in the hearts of our foes on the fields of war!"

Dismayed the rammers let fall the trees and turned to fight; but the wall of their shields was broken as a lightning-stroke, and they were swept away, hewn down, or cast over the Rock into the stony stream below. The Orc-archers shot wildly then fled.

For a moment the three warriors halted before the Gates. The thunder was rumbling in the distance now. The lightning flickered still, far off among the mountains in the South. A keen wind was blowing from the North again. The clouds were torn and drifting, and stars peeped out; and above the hills of the Coomb-side the westering moon rode, glimmering yellow in the storm-wrack. 

"We did not come too soon, Eomer," said Aragorn, looking at the gates. Their great hinges and iron bars were wrenched and bent; many of their timbers were cracked.

Eli smirked as she sheathed her sword again. "But the gates are in desperate need of repair. Now that they're weakened, Eomer, you might want to send some of the men to guard this place. They're going to try harder and get in here later on, since the gates are almost destroyed."

Eomer nodded. "A wise decision, Elisabeth. We shall see what we-" His statement was cut short when an arrow whizzed by between them, missing him by a few scant millimeters.

_Oh no, you've GOT to be kidding me! _Eli turned to look, and felt her heart sink. A great press of Orcs and Men were gathering again beyond the stream. Arrows whined and skipped on the stones about them. "It's not a good idea to stand out here like sitting ducks! Let's head back inside now!"

They turned and ran. At that moment some dozen Orcs that had lain motionless among the slain leaped to their feet, and came silently and swiftly behind. Before Eli was able to take stock of the entire situation, two of the Orcs had flung themselves at her heels, tripped her, and in a moment they were on top of her. But a small dark shadow that none had observed sprang out of the shadows and gave a hoarse shout: "BARUK KHAZAD! KHAZAD AI-MENU!" And axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

Eli struggled back to her feet, even as Eomer and Aragorn ran back to help her. When she had managed to find her footing again, the three of them and the shadowy figure ran back inside. The postern was closed again, the iron door was barred and piled inside with stones. Eli turned to look at her rescue, and a brilliant grin spread on her face when she realized who it was. "Gimli! God, I should have KNOWN it was you! How the hell did you get there so quick?!"

"I followed you to shake off sleep," said Gimli, "but I looked on the hillmen and they seemed over-large for me, so I sat beside a stone to see your swordplay."

Eli smiled, swept her cape back, and bowed to him. "I owe you a big favor now, Gimli. I think that I'll pull out from the game you, Legolas, and me are playing, but that still isn't enough to repay what you've done for me. Someday, if we make it out of here alive, I'll give it all back to you."

"Your withdrawal is enough repayment," laughed the Dwarf, "for watching you fight, I feared that I would lose the game. But I am content. Till now I have hewn naught but wood since we left Moria."

*      *      *

Camille looked up from where she had been sitting beside Legolas as Gimli and Eli came walking up from their little "trip". She smirked when she saw that Eli had a couple of scratches, and that her arms and legs were pelted with bruises. "Rough night?"

Eli groaned, and leaned wearily against the wall. "Tell me about it. If it weren't for Gimli here I'd probably be pickings for the Orcs right about now."

"Oh? Gimli, do tell us the tale that Eli speaks of," Legolas requested. 

Camille listened attentively, and paid particular attention to the part wherein the Orcs managed to trip Eli. "Whoa, that was some close call, alright. How you managed not to freak out is beyond me."

"Your mind kind of shuts down when they get close to you," Eli explained. "When they get THAT close to you, the only thing that goes through your mind is how desperately you want to put as much space between you and them. Or at least enough distance for you to swing your sword at them."

Camille shuddered, agreeing completely. Her first encounter with an Orc had left her almost scarred for life, and the only reason she would get anywhere near one was to hack it down to size and make sure it never stood up again.

"How many did you get, Camille?" Eli asked as she stretched and leaned against the wall.

Camille shrugged. "Around a good nineteen or so, as many as my arrows could hit in this murk. Of course, Legolas took out a lot more than I did; he can see better in the dark. But we've got no arrows left, so if I want to see some action I'm going to have to climb down from my safe little perch and use my kodachi."

The sky now was quickly clearing and the sinking moon was shining brightly. But the light brought little hope to the Riders of the Mark. The enemy before them seemed to have grown rather than diminished, and still more were pressing up from the valley through the breach. The sortie upon the Rock gained only a brief respite. The assault on the gates was redoubled. Against the Deeping Wall the hosts of Isengard roared like a sea. Orcs and hillmen swarmed at its feet from end to end. Ropes with grappling hooks were hurled over the parapet faster than men could cut them or fling them back. Many were cast down in ruin, but many more replaced them, and Orcs sprang up them like apes in the dark forests of the South. Before the wall's foot the dead and broken were piled like shingle in a storm; ever-higher rose the hideous mounds, and still the enemy came on.

The men of Rohan grew weary. All their arrows were spent, and every shaft was shot; their swords were notched, and their shields were riven. Three times Aragorn and Eomer rallied them, and three times Anduril flamed in a desperate charge that drove the enemy from the wall. Three times did Eli charge straight through the very thick of the fight, but three times she was forced back. And three times did Camille attempt to come to her friend's aid, but three times was she pushed back to the isolation of the wall with Legolas, forced to fight the Orcs that attempted to scale the walls.

Then a clamor arose in the Deep behind. Orcs had crept like rats through the culvert through which the stream flowed out. There they had gathered in the shadow of the cliffs, until the assault above was hottest and nearly all the men of the defense had rushed to the wall's top. Now there was no need for Camille to go down to seek battle; the battle had come to her. During the many skirmishes she had to deal with, she sustained many light wounds, and a bruised rib from where a shield had been driven against her torso. 

Then they sprang out. Already some had passed into the jaws of the Deep and were among the horses, fighting with the guards. 

Down from the wall leaped Gimli with a fierce cry that echoed in the cliffs. "Khazad! Khazad!" He soon had work enough.

Camille breathed heavily as she slashed down another Orc, kicking the body into the chasm on the opposite side of the wall. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the pain in her ribs. _This is getting worse, _she thought. There were Orcs everywhere: in the Deep, on the walls, and now heading towards the fastness of the Hornburg, where Theoden was currently staying. _No way! There's no way they're supposed to get anywhere near there! _Gathering all her strength, she allowed her energy to flow into the ground beneath her feet, and this caused such a massive earthquake that it threw the assailing Orcs off their feet and away from the Hornburg.

Just then, a cry rose from the Hornburg, a cry that sent hope running through all the defenders. "The Orcs are in the Deep! Helm! Helm! Forth Helmingas!" It was with that cry that the men of Westfold, with Gamling the Old leading the charge, rushed out from Hornburg to the aid of the other defenders. 

Their onset was fierce and sudden, and the Orcs gave way before them. Ere long they were hemmed in the narrows of the gorge, and all were slain or driven shrieking into the chasm of the Deep to fall before the guardians of the hidden caves. 

Camille collapsed beside Legolas, rubbing her hurt ribs beneath her breastplate. "Ow, that hurts, that really, really hurts."

Legolas knelt down in front of her, looking concerned, but Camille waved him off. "Don't you worry, nothing broken. Just a nice big bruise blooming over my ribs right about now. I'll be okay in a few moments." She looked up, and watched as Gimli helped and directed the men of the Westfold as they prepared a barrier for the culvert, to prevent any more sneak attacks. Slowly, the water began to rise as the passage of the Deeping-stream was narrowed, and gathered in pools from cliff to cliff.

"How do you fare?" 

Camille looked up, and noticed Aragorn, Eomer, and Eli looking down at her. She grinned slightly, and sat up. "I'm doing okay. Just have a bruised rib. Don't worry, it's just bruised, and nothing more; lucky it didn't crack when that Orc took a swing at me with his shield. But I have the feeling the mark's going to be visible under anything white for a while." In the meantime, Eli sat down to her left, while to her right Legolas was whetting his long white knife. 

She sighed as she looked to the sky. _When will this night end?!_

*      *      *

Eomer and Aragorn leant wearily on their swords. Away on the left the crash and clamor of the battle on the Rock rose loud again. But the Hornburg still held fast, like an island in the sea. Its gates lay in ruin; but over the barricade of beams and stones within no enemy as yet had passed.

Aragorn looked at the pale stars, and at the moon, now sloping behind the western hills that enclosed the valley. "This is a night as long as years," he said. "How long will the day tarry?"

"Dawn is not far off," said Gamling, who had now climbed up beside him. "But dawn will not help us, I fear."

"Yet dawn is ever the hope of man," said Aragorn.

Eli nodded. "Aragorn's right, Gamling." In a soft voice she sang a few lines from a song…

_Though our spirits be down low,_

_This at least I know,_

_All the dark and fears will run_

_Come the rising of the sun._

_So keep your hope in you, my friend_

_Cause somehow, this ain't the end_

_All the evil shadows will flee_

_Once the dawning sun we see._

"But these creatures of Isengard, these half-Orcs and goblin-men that the foul craft of Saruman has bred, they will not quail at the sun," said Gamling. "And neither will the wild men of the hills. Do you not hear their voices?"

"I hear them," said Eomer, "but they are only the scream of birds and the bellowing of beasts to my ears."

"There are many that cry in the Dunland tongue," said Gamling. "I know that tongue. It is an ancient speech of Men, and was once spoken in many western valleys of the Mark."

Gamling could go no further in his explanation, for as he spoke there came a blare of trumpets. Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke. The waters of the Deeping-stream poured out hissing and foaming: they were choked no longer; a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in.

Camille's eyes widened as she looked at the damage. "They have dynamite?!"

"Devilry of Saruman!" cried Aragorn. "They have crept in the culvert again, while we talked, and they have lit the fire of Orthanc beneath our feet. Elendil! Elendil!" he shouted, as he leaped down into the breach; but even as he did so a hundred ladders were raised against the battlements. Over the wall and under the wall the last assault came sweeping like a dark wave upon a hill of sand. The defense was swept away. Some of the Riders were driven back, further and further into the Deep, falling and fighting as they gave way, step by step, towards the caves. Others – with Camille and Eli in their lead – cut their way back towards the citadel.

A broad stairway climbed from the Deep up to the Rock and the rear-gate of the Hornburg. Near the bottom stood Aragorn and Eli. Still in Aragorn's hand Anduril gleamed, and the terror of the sword combined with the fierce blazing eyes of the Blue Battle Maiden for a while held back the enemy, as one by one all who could gain the stair passed up towards the gate. Behind on the upper steps knelt Legolas, and behind him at the door stood Camille. The Elf's bow was bent, but one gleaned arrow was all that he had left, and he peered out now, ready to shoot the first Orc that should dare to approach the stair.

After ascertaining that all who could come were safely inside, Camille yelled, "Aragorn, Eli, everyone's inside! Get yourselves up here now!"

The two turned and sped up the stair, but as they ran Aragorn stumbled in his weariness. At once the enemy leaped forward. Up came the Orcs, yelling with their long arms stretched out to seize him. The foremost fell with Legolas' last arrow in is throat but the rest sprang over him. Eli reached out, and grabbed him hard around the wrist, dragging him upwards just as a great boulder, cast down from the outer wall above, crashed down upon the stair, and hurled the Orcs back into the Deep. They both gained the door, and, together with Legolas and Camille, swiftly clanged it to behind them.

Eli slumped against the nearby wall, slowly sliding to the floor as sweat dripped off her brow and mingled with the blood from her wounds. "Now THAT was a close call! First Orcs are after you, then a huge boulder comes crashing down and you barely manage to escape getting squished to pulp on the steps…" She looked up at Aragorn, a teasing grin on her face. "You've got nine lives there, Aragorn, more surely than a cat's got them."

"Either that or he's just absurdly lucky," Camille muttered, this time rubbing not just her ribs now, but her right arm as well. She slid off her gloves, and rolled up her sleeves to expose her forearm. There now was a large splotchy bruise, and there was even a thin line of blood along the middle of it. She grimaced as she touched it. "Ouch. That is the LAST time I even TRY to jump down from the walls like a stupid mountain goat." 

"Now that you speak of mountains, I do not see Gimli," said Legolas, looking around. "Camille, did he come through the door?"

The girl shook her head. "Nope, not while I was guarding it."

"Aragorn? Eli?"

"I do not know," said Aragorn. "I last saw him fighting on the ground behind the wall, but the enemy swept us apart."

"Alas! That is evil news," said Legolas

"I think I saw him with the people who were forced towards the caves," Eli answered. "I'm not sure, though. I think Eomer was with him."

"He is stout and strong," said Aragorn. "Let us hope that he will escape back to the caves. There he would be safe for a while; safer than we. Such a refuge would be to the liking of a Dwarf."

"That must be my hope," said Legolas. "But I wish that he had come this way. I wished to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine."

"If he wins back to the caves, he will pass your count again," laughed Aragorn. "Never did I see an axe so wielded."

Eli groaned in exasperation. "You males are so aggravating, you know that? All you think about are your bets and games and all that. And they say that we FEMALES are the more irritating species! Hah! THEY haven't had to deal with you two yet!"

Camille giggled. "Amen to that Eli."

*      *      *

Camille grimaced as Legolas pulled the bandage more tightly around her forearm. "Haven't they invented painkillers in this world yet?"

Legolas looked up at her, a small, teasing smile on his face. "And what would that be, my love?"

"Special medicine that prevents you from feeling horrid pain when you're being treated or amputated. Helps much when you've got a headache too," Camille replied dully. She took her arm back from him, and ran her free hand over the bandages. A hint of a smile crossed her lips, and she turned to him. "Thanks."

Legolas nodded. ""Twas nothing I would not do for an injured friend." _Especially if that "friend" is the one to whom I have given my heart. _He knelt down in front of her, his eyes locking on hers with a serious gaze. ^Promise me something, my love. Promise me that you will keep out of harm's way as much as you can. Once you know that the attack is too much, do not hesitate and turn back. If I were to lose you, I am certain that I will lose the will to live. And even then I will not be happy, for I know that I will never see you again.^

Camille laughed softly then, her hand not-too-discreetly rubbing against the shallow cut she had received across the bridge of her nose. It didn't require any bandages and it was not poisoned, but according to her, it itched quite a bit. "Legolas, you know better than to talk about silly things like that. We're ALL going to get through this somehow." Her eyes hardened somewhat as a memory overtook her. "And I'll be damned if I let anybody else die. No one else is going down while I still stand. I…I won't have anyone else join Boromir, wherever he is right now, not until this is all over and the Ring is destroyed and Sauron is kicked out of Middle-Earth permanently."

Legolas did his best to smile are her promise, though somewhere in the back of his mind he considered it impossible. _This Quest is fraught with danger, and she cannot protect herself or us from everything. _

At that moment, Aragorn entered, his face grim but determined. "We ride later with the King in a last attempt to stop the Orcs."

"So it has come down to this, then?" Legolas asked. 

Camille looked up. "What do you mean, we ride? We go out there and charge at them?"

"That is precisely what we intend to do. Hopefully we may be able to defeat them yet," Aragorn replied. He shook his head then; reading as quickly as Legolas did what Camille intended to do. "And you will not go out with us in the charge. You will remain here in the safety of the Hornburg."

"But what use is that going to be if you lose?" Eli asked as she sauntered into the room, white strips of cloth flashing from her limbs where they covered various wounds and scratches. "We might as well go out with you guys and assure you of a win, right?" She tried to smile, but it was difficult, because of the strip of cloth that was laid against her cheek to cover the cut she had there.

"Eli's got a point," Camille said as she stood up, and started to pull her boots back on. "And besides, even if you lock us up in here we can and will find a way to bust ourselves out. I'd much rather use my powers on Orcs than on the Hornburg, if you catch my drift."

Aragorn smiled amusedly at the two girls. "Are you saying that you shall use your powers against the army of Orcs? Even in your weakened condition?"

"I don't know about the weakened condition, but you're right about the using-our-powers part," Eli replied as she tugged her gloves back onto her hands, flexing the fingers to ensure a good fit. "Personally, I feel quite fine. A little tired, maybe, but just fine."

Legolas turned to Aragorn, a pleading look on his face. _Please say that you will not allow them to go! _

After a long while, Aragorn smiled at the two girls, and chuckled to himself. "I know that you speak the truth, and I know as well that there is nothing I can do to prevent you from going. If I were to be truthful to you, your presence will comfort me greatly on the battlefield, for I know that your powers will be helpful when trouble arises."

"Aragorn surely you see the folly in this!" Legolas exclaimed. "This is something we might not return from alive!"

"Aye, part of my heart knows it is folly, but the greater part of it says that it is wise to bring them with us," Aragorn replied. He turned to the door, his hand on Anduril's hilt. "We shall go to the courtyard now. The host awaits us there."

*      *      *

Aragorn stood above the great gates, heedless of the darts of the enemy. As he looked forth he saw the eastern sky grow pale. Then he raised his empty hand, palm outward in token of parley.

The Orcs yelled and jeered. "Come down! Come down!" they cried. "If you wish to speak to us, come down! Bring out your king! We are the fighting Uruk-hai. We will fetch him from his hole, if he does not come. Bring out your skulking king!"

"The king stays or comes at his own will," said Aragorn.

"Then what are you doing here?" they answered. "Why do you look out? Do you wish to see the greatness of our army? We are the fighting Uruk-hai."

Down amongst the troops of Theoden, Camille scowled. "Fighting Uruk-hai my foot." 

Eli quickly shushed her friend.

High above them, Aragorn continued to speak. "I wished to see the dawn."

"What of the dawn?" they jeered. "We are the Uruk-hai: we do not stop the fight for day or night, for fair weather or for storm. We come to kill, by sun or moon. What of the dawn?"

"None knows what the new day shall bring him," said Aragorn. "Get you gone, ere it turn to your evil."

"Get down or we will shoot you from the wall," they cried. "This is no parley. You have nothing to say."

"I have still this to say," answered Aragorn. "No enemy has yet taken the Hornburg. Depart, or not one of you will be spared. Not one will be left alive to take back tidings to the North. You do not know your peril."

So great power and royalty was revealed in Aragorn, as he stood there alone above the ruined gates before the host of his enemies, that many of the wild men paused, and looked back over their shoulders to the valley, and some looked up doubtfully at the sky. But the Orcs laughed with loud voices; and a hail of darts and arrows whistled over the wall, as Aragorn leaped down.

There was a roar and a blast of fire. The archway of the gate above which he had stood a moment before crumbled and crashed in smoke and dust. The barricade was scattered as if by a thunderbolt. Aragorn ran to the king's tower.

But even as the gate fell, and the Orcs about it yelled, preparing to charge, a murmur arose behind them, like a wind in the distance, and it grew to a clamor of many voices crying strange news in the dawn. The Orcs upon the Rock, hearing the rumor of dismay, wavered and looked back. And then, sudden and terrible, from the tower above, the sound of the great horn of Helm rang out.

The sound was fell and terrible to the opposing army's ears. Many of the Orcs threw themselves down on the ground in dismay. The sound grew as it echoed in the Deep, as if upon each hill stood a mighty herald, returning the blast of the Horn of Helm. Abruptly, the earth trembled beneath them, and the wind swirled around them. From the north rose a mighty tortoise, a great green serpent wound around its shell, its fangs glistening with deadly venom in the light of morn. And from the west, riding upon great gusts of wind came a tiger, its coat gleaming white with black stripes, its eyes glowing bright amber, and its claws sharp and lethal. 

"Forth Eorlingas!" With a cry and a great noise they charged. Down from the gates they roared, over the causeway they swept, and they drove through the hosts of Isengard as a wind among grass, the great Spirits herding them closer to the defenders. Behind them from the Deep came the stern cries of men issuing from the caves, driving forth the enemy. Out poured all the men that were left on the Rock. And ever the sound of blowing horns echoed on the hills, accompanied by the rumbling of the earth and the whistling of the wind.

On they rode, the king and his companions. Champions and captains fell or fled before them. Neither Orc nor man withstood them. Their backs were to the swords and spears of the Riders, and their faces to the valley. They cried and wailed, for fear and great wonder had come upon them with the rising of the day.

Forth they rode, driving the army of Isengard into the valley. There, they could see that a great wood had sprung up where there was only grassy plain the night before. Between the Dike and the nameless wood lay only two open furlongs. There now cowered the proud hosts of Saruman, in terror of the king, the Spirits, and the trees. The Spirits flushed out all that remained in Helm's Gate until all above the Dike was empty of them, but below it they were packed like swarming flies. When this was accomplished, the Spirits vanished. Vainly the host crawled and clambered about the walls of the coomb, seeking to escape. Upon the east too sheer and stony was the valley's side; upon the left, from the west, their final doom approached.

There suddenly upon the ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun. The sounds of horns echoed up from the low hills, and a large troop of men appeared alongside him, their swords in their hands. To the front strode a man tall and strong, with a red shield upon his arm. As he came to the valley's brink, he set a black horn to his lips, and blew a ringing blast.

And so it was that Gandalf and Erkenbrand returned to the aid of Helm's Deep. Down into the valley they charged, the White Rider at the forefront, Shadowfax leaping like a deer that runs surefooted down the mountain. The wild men screamed and fell on their faces before him. The Orcs reeled and screamed and cast aside both sword and spear. Like a black smoke driven by a mounting wind they fled. Wailing they passed under the shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AT LAST, it's done!!! I have enough reason to believe that THIS is one of the hardest chapters to write, the other one being the final battle before the gates of Mordor. I used A LOT of Tolkien's own words, squeezing in a bit of my own to encompass my characters. It's because I suck at writing battle scenes; I can't do good when it comes to the itty-bitty fight sequences, all the more so when it comes to sweeping battles that pit one army against another! This is, I believe, the LONGEST chapter in the entire story, as I tried to tell the entire chapter of Helm's Deep in one go. If anyone is irritated by this fact, I'm sorry grins apologetically; I didn't know where to break it. Anyways, let's get on to the rest of the fic, shall we? We now go on to Isengard, where the Hunt from Parth Galen shall be concluded. Read on!!


	36. Chapter Thirty-five: What Eli Never Knew

Chapter Thirty-Five: What Eli Never Knew 

Eli slipped in and out of consciousness, of dreams and of the waking world. She could feel the trotting of a horse beneath her, and the feel of arms gripped around her waist, but that was basically it. She could vaguely remember watching as Camille passed out on top of Blackwing, and then Gandalf looking down at her, as if expecting something to happen. That was when she passed out too.

But now the slow rocking motion of the horse had ceased, thus sending her back to reality, though she was still as sleepy as hell. She slowly blinked her eyes open, and realized that she was lying on a blanket with her pack under her head for a pillow. She was staring up at a dark night sky, some stars winking down at her from the inky blackness.

_What the hell? _She straightened up slowly, and in a voice that was raspy from sleeping, asked to no one in particular, "Where are we?"

"We are now camped near the banks of the River Isen," whispered a voice in her ear, and she knew it to be Aragorn's. "We are on our way now to Isengard."

Eli slowly quirked an eyebrow up as she turned to look at him. "Isengard? What are we going to do there?"

Aragorn smiled down at her. "King Theoden wishes to have a word with Saruman before he returns to Edoras."

"Oh." Eli leaned back on her arms, stretching out, and asked, "What happened? All I remember is Camille suddenly keeling over, and then Gandalf was watching me before I did the same thing."

Gandalf approached them then from where he had been talking with Theoden. He smiled at Eli when he saw her awake. "Ah, you have returned from the dream realm at last, Eli. I hope you are feeling better now."

Eli nodded. "A little weak in the limbs, but I'll be okay in a while." She looked around, searching Camille, but when she didn't find her, she asked, "Where's Camille?"

Gandalf chuckled. "She is still sleeping safe and sound in Legolas' arms. Though I do believe the Elf is quite…content to let her sleep on."

"Yeah, I bet he is," Eli said with a roll of her eyes. 

"It is quite amazing, that love such as theirs should spring up during such violent and dark times as these," Gandalf said thoughtfully. "Indeed, the power of true love is superior to that of light when it comes to driving away the darkness. It is sufficient enough to even fend off the lure of the Ring, as in Boromir's case, but it was not strong enough in him to fend it off forever."

Eli narrowed her eyes at the Wizard. _What is he talking about? Boromir never said anything about being in love with anybody. _"Okay, you got me a little lost there."

Aragorn sounded rather surprised. "Do you mean to say that Camille has not told you yet?"

"Told me what?" Eli asked, now more than a little confused.

"That Boromir was in love with her," Aragorn replied quietly.

Eli felt her jaw drop, and eyes pop wide open. _WHAT?!?!?!?!?! Boromir was in love with CAMILLE?!?!?! _"W-wait a minute," she stammered. "You're telling me that all that time Boromir was with us, he harbored feelings for my best friend?!"

Aragorn nodded. "Yes, he did, and please, do not be angry about it."

"I'm not angry, just a little shocked." Eli paused, then admitted, "Okay, I'm VERY shocked. I mean, to think…BOROMIR of all people…as in stiff-as-a-pike-staff Boromir…" She shook her head. _Breathe, Eli. Try to get your head around the entire thing, and then ask. _After a moment she spoke again. "Since when did he have feelings for her?"

Gandalf shrugged. "I cannot be too sure, but perhaps…a month after the Council."

"Just about the same time they started to get along with one another," Eli muttered. Her mind flashed back to that particular day long, long ago…

~      ~      ~

Eli's eyebrow went right up when she heard about it. "Okay, kindly repeat that because I find it too hard to believe, especially since it came from your mouth."

Camille shrugged. "It's like I told you; Boromir ain't that bad."

"I thought you hated his guts. You told me just last week, and I quote, 'To hell with the fact that he's a member of the Fellowship! If I don't push that Gondorian over the falls of the Bruinen, it'll be too soon!' What made you change your mind?"

"I know, I know, but after chatting with him this afternoon, I realized he's a pretty good guy after all."

"And you're saying this WHY?"

"You know that commercial that says 'First impressions last'?" Camille asked. "Well, I don't think it applies to Boromir. I mean, sure, he was rude during the Council, but I think staying here in Rivendell's finally gotten it out of his system. Once you get around the fact that he's probably stiffer than a rusty hinge that hasn't been oiled in years, he's kind of cool, in his own way. He's pretty interesting, you know."

"No I WOULDN'T know," Eli replied. 

Camille shook her head, and sighed dramatically to tease her. "And that's the tragedy about you, isn't it? You're always closeting yourself up. About time you went out there and met a few people, made a couple of new friends."

"I HAVE plenty of new friends, thank you very much."

"Aside from the ones you've made."

Eli rolled her eyes. _It's going to take a LOT more than that for you to convince me Boromir's a good guy. Not after that aura I saw in him during the Council… _"Whatever Camille!"

~      ~      ~

"I never really understood what she saw in him when she told me that they managed to get along," Eli said at last. "I mean, Camille's got a tendency to hold long and deep grudges for even the littlest of things, and I thought Boromir wasn't going to be any different." She shrugged. "Maybe Boromir managed to soften her up a bit?"

Aragorn nodded thoughtfully. "It would seem so." 

"But what's this thing I hear about love being able to keep out the lure of the Ring?" Eli asked as she looked at Gandalf. "I don't exactly see what this has got to do with Camille, Boromir, and the fact that he loved her."

Gandalf smiled, and lit his pipe, taking a long breath out of it before replying. "Well, love is a very strong emotion, stronger than anything that a person can experience. It is the base emotion from which all others arise, like happiness, peace and contentment, and also negative ones as well, like anger, obsession and greed. But when love is pure, it can be used as a powerful force to block out all forms of evil. 

"Each of the Eleven Walkers who set out from Rivendell had a form of love that in some way prevented them from completely succumbing to the Ring. Frodo had his innocence, which is also tied to love; Sam, Merry and Pippin and you and Camille had your friendship, which is a powerful kind of love; Aragorn had his devotion to Arwen; I had my love for Middle-Earth and all the Free Peoples; and Gimli had his love for freedom from oppression of the Dark Lord. 

"But Legolas and Boromir were very different. Legolas' love for your dear friend was so pure and true that I feel he entertained the thought of gaining the Ring for himself only once: when he first saw it at the Council. But by then the seed of love had firmly taken root, and so the Ring could no longer sway his heart to its purposes.

"However, Boromir had not yet felt such a thing in his life. All he wanted was power to defeat the Dark Lord in Mordor, and when the Ring was presented at the Council, he saw it as his chance. The Ring perceived his desire, and used that to its advantage. When he finally realized that he had lost his heart to Camille, it was too late. The poison of the Ring had started to eat away at his mind and his soul, and not even the love he felt for her, strong though it might have been, was not sufficient during that last moment when he tried to take the Ring from Frodo."

Eli sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, another weak chapter. I just figured that Eli never exactly found out about Boromir's longing for Camille, so I decided to lay it out to her here. And I tossed in an explanation as to why most of the members of the Fellowship weren't lured by the Ring ^_^. That's just a personal theory, of course, and in relation to my story, particularly the one why Legolas wasn't tempted. If I were to base it on the book, I should think that Elves are pretty resistant to the lure of the Ring, so they can ignore it for a long, long while. Anyway, in the next chap, the company finally reaches Isengard. What will happen there? Read on!


	37. Chapter Thirty-six: Found You At Last!

Chapter Thirty-Six: Found You At Last! 

Camille felt herself slowly slipping into wakefulness, and felt the trotting of a horse beneath her body, as well as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and a warm wall against her back. Her ears perceived a soft voice singing in Elvish, as well as the sound of many other horses clopping over the stones of a pathway. 

She yawned, and opened her eyes slowly to the morning light. "What time is it?"

Someone chuckled softly behind her, and Legolas whispered in her ear, ^Good afternoon, Fair One. You have been asleep for more than a day and a half now.^

It took a while for that to register, but when it did, Camille jerked sharply, and turned to look at Legolas. "A day and a half?! Are you kidding?!"

"He isn't joking," Eli said as she trotted up to Camille and Legolas on Whitewing. "You've been out of it since…the time Gandalf arrived."

"And when precisely was that?" Camille asked. She groaned, and rubbed her head. _Jeez, I'm so disoriented that I can't even tell what time of day it is! _

Aragorn chuckled as he came up on Hasufel. "It is understandable that you are so confused, Camille. Calling forth the Spirit of Earth must have taxed your energy reserves to the limit. And you have spent most of yesterday and today trying to get it back by sleeping."

Camille sighed, and nodded. "Thanks for telling me." She looked around, and blinked when she saw that the troops of Theoden were on the march. "Hey, where are we going? Back to Edoras?"

Eli shook her head. "Nope, we're going to Isengard."

Camille blinked again. _Isengard? What the hell for? _

As if reading her mind, Eli continued, "Theoden wants to have a word with Saruman, and I think Gandalf does too."

"Aye, it would seem so," said Legolas. "Though I believe that Gandalf has more reason to venture here than even Theoden King, for Saruman is supposedly his superior."

Camille raised her eyebrow in question. "Superior?"

The Elf nodded. "Aye, superior as in an order. It is said that Saruman, whom the Elves call Curunir, was the first of the Istari, or Wizards, to appear. Mithrandir, or Gandalf, and the other members of the Istari came after him. It is not known how many Istari there are in Middle-Earth, neither is it known from whence they came. But of all Istari, the most well-known are Saruman and Gandalf."

Eli smirked then. "But I'd like to see what happens to Saruman when we get there with Gandalf. He doesn't sound so superior to me anymore."

"Do not underestimate Saruman's power, Eli," Aragorn muttered. "Do you remember the voice we heard on Caradhras?"

Camille figured it out quickly. "You're telling us that the voice we heard while we were trying to get through was SARUMAN'S?!" She shivered. _Man, if he's as powerful as that, then he must be really good! _

Suddenly the company halted, and their group halted as well. Apparently, they had arrived at the doors of Isengard. But the doors lay hurled and twisted on the ground. And all about, stone, cracked and splintered into countless jagged shards, was scattered far and wide, or piled in ruinous heaps. The great arch still stood, but it opened now on a roofless chasm: the tunnel was laid bare, and through the cliff-like walls on either side great rents and breaches had been torn; their towers were beaten into dust. The ring inside was filled with steaming water, making it look like a witch's bubbling cauldron from the old fairytales. Lots of trash was floating around in the water, mostly beams and spars, chests and casks and broken gear. The pillars were broken and knocked down. But far away, through the mists, the dark shape of Orthanc could still be perceived, untouched and unbroken.  
  


Camille looked at all of this destruction, and felt her jaw slacken till it opened. _Looks like a storm ripped right through here. _"Is it just me, or does this place look like a tornado passed through and then some?"

"If something like THIS happened in our world, it'd be labeled the greatest natural disaster of all time," Eli muttered as she gazed on at the scene.

"Even if the Great Sea had risen in wrath and fallen on the hills with storm, it could have worked on greater ruin," Aragorn said softly.

Legolas nodded in agreement, and then stirred, moving Arod slightly towards the front. "Come my friends, let us look more fully upon the destruction that has been wrought here."

Agreeing with him, they nudged their horses forward, towards the front of the company. They walked up till they were just behind Gandalf. The Wizard turned, and smiled, acknowledging them, then said, "I believe that there is someone you would like to see."

He made Shadowfax step aside a little to give them a better view, and Camille swore her eyes nearly popped out of her head at what she saw. 

There, right in front of her, were Merry and Pippin, both looking pretty good, and smoking their pipes to boot! "Merry! Pippin! What in heaven's name are you doing here?!" She turned to Eli. "I thought you said they were with some Ent?!"

Eli shook her head, and seemed about as clueless as she was. "Don't look at me! I thought they were still with Treebeard! How they got here I have no idea."

Theoden laughed then. "Perhaps I should leave you girls in the care of these most magnificent Hobbits, while Gandalf and I go round about to look at the extent of the damage done to Isengard."

Gandalf laughed as well, and nodded. "Aye, that would perhaps be a good idea. Well then Theoden King, we must go now. We must hold council with Treebeard." With that, he and Theoden rode off, along with the rest of the Riders of Rohan. The only ones who stayed were Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Eli and Camille.

Legolas slid off Arod's back, and helped Camille get down from the horse's back. As if sensing her weakness, Arod bent down a little more than usual to help Camille get off. This action caused laughter from Legolas. "It seems that Arod has taken pity on you, Camille."

Camille laughed too, and rubbed Arod's nose gently. "I don't know, maybe he's just tired of carrying me and really wants me to get off."

When Arod neighed and shook his head, she laughed, and added, "I know, I know. I was just teasing you. Now run along, and see if you can find Blackwing for me."

Arod neighed again, and ran off across the plains. When he was out of sight, Camille turned to the two Hobbits, and immediately rushed over to them and hugged them tight. "Oh God, I really missed you two! I was so worried when I found out that you had been taken! I would've freaked if I hadn't remembered that Boromir sent Eli after you."

Aragorn laughed then. "The hunt is now over, I believe. We meet again at last, where none of us ever thought to come."

"And now that the great ones have gone to discuss high matters," said Legolas, "the hunters can perhaps learn the answers to their own small riddles. Eli has told us much of what happened while she was trailing you, but she does not know what happened after she left you in the care of Treebeard the Ent."

"And there is a great deal, too, that we would want to know about you," said Merry. "We have learnt a few things from Treebeard, but that is not nearly enough."

Eli interrupted then. "But first, can we go get some food? My stomach is going to cause a revolt if I don't feed it soon."

"Aye, the lady is right," said Gimli. "It would go better after a meal. I have a sore head; and it is past midday. You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you."

"Then you shall have it," said Pippin. "Will you have it here, or in more comfort in what's left of Saruman's guard house – over there under the arch? We had to picnic out here, so as to keep an eye on the road."

"Less than an eye!" said Gimli. "But I will not go into any Orc-house; nor touch Orcs' meat or anything that they have mauled."

Camille groaned, and rolled her eyes. "PLEASE spare us the whining, Gimli. Right now, I'm so hungry that even shoe leather is starting to look appetizing." She smiled at the Hobbits. "But I'm sure you two can get us something more decent than that, right?"

Merry grinned. "Of course! We can't have you eating shoe leather when we have better stuff to give! It seems that Saruman kept enough wisdom not to trust his Orcs with guarding the doors, and let his Men have that honor. Anyway, they were favored and got good provisions."

"And pipeweed?" asked Gimli.

"No, I don't think so," Merry laughed. "But that is another story, which can wait until after lunch."

"Well, let us go and have lunch then!" said the Dwarf.

*      *      *

Eli stretched out her tense muscles as she slowly sank down at one side of a long table, lazily rotating her shoulders to relax them a little. She watched as Merry and Pippin disappeared through one of the inner doors of the guardroom. She groaned, propping up her elbows so she could cup her chin in her hands. "I am SO tired."

Camille laughed then, and stretched, bending back slightly to ease up the tension in her back. "Tell me about it. You say I've been knocked out for more than a day? To be honest, I wouldn't mind going off to La-la Land right after I eat."

"Don't do that!" Eli exclaimed with mock-severity. "You know what happens to people who sleep right after eating a heavy meal, don't you?!"

Camille raised a lazy eyebrow. "Yeah. So? Jeez Eli, don't get your pantyhose in a knot. I'm not going to stuff myself too much, you know."

Aragorn was looking at them as though they had said something odd. "What is this you two are talking about, Eli?"

Eli grinned. _Maybe I'll tell them, just to gross them out. _"Oh, that. Well, where we're from, if a person, particularly a male, eats too much and then sleeps right after, he gets what we'd call in Westron the 'death dream'. Basically the victim dreams that he can't breathe and move any part of his body, which is exactly what is happening in reality. Usually they die from suffocation right after. The only way to cure this while it attacks is if the victim attempts to move ANY part of his body, even if it's just a finger. That will break the dream."

Gimli snorted then. "That is not true in Middle-Earth. Why, I have indulged myself repeatedly over the years and I have NEVER been subject to such an ailment before."

"Well you're a Dwarf, maybe things are different with you guys," Camille said. "And what Eli forgot to mention is that it isn't only males who suffer from that. Some girls get that too, but the cases are so few they don't even warrant a statistic. And I think that it's usually guys who are victims because they have a tendency to adhere more to the 'eat, drink, and be merry' philosophy than girls do."

Just then, Pippin and Merry came back, each of them carrying dishes, bowls, cups, knives, and food of various sorts. Eli ate only enough to feel a comfortable heaviness in her belly, so as not to shock her stomach. When they were all through eating, they went out and seated themselves upon the piled stones before the gateway. While they did so, Pippin, Merry, Aragorn and Gimli set to smoking on their pipes. 

Camille shook her head when she saw that particular vice. "Some things never change from world to world," she muttered so that only she and Eli could hear. Then in a louder voice, she added, "Did you know that smoking can be bad for your health?"

Pippin looked at her innocently, his face partially obscured by the little clouds of smoke he puffed from his pipe. "What do you mean?"

"People in our world smoke just like you do here," Camille replied as she wrapped her red cape around her and drew her knees up to her chest. "But it's been proven that smoking too much can destroy your lungs in the long run. The smoke pollutes them and makes it harder for you to breathe. Of course the effects aren't apparent immediately, but they pile up year after year. In the long run, you're literally suffocating yourself to death."

Eli laughed at the shocked expression on the Hobbit's face, and said, "Don't listen to her, she's just trying to scare you. Things are definitely different here in Middle-Earth from our world, that's for sure, so we can't be too sure if smoking will actually kill you, since you live in this world and not in ours."

But then Merry asked, "Where did you get your armor? I don't think I've seen anything like that before."

That set the long storytelling session concerning everything that happened after Eli left Merry and Pippin in Treebeard's care. At first the two were hurt that Eli left without telling them that Gandalf was with them and where she was going, but after she had told them that Gandalf had to rush, they accepted it. Aragorn also told them of the long hunt from Parth Galen. Merry and Pippin were shocked to hear about Boromir's death, but in one way or another they knew it was coming. After that, it was the Hobbits' turn to tell the tale of what happened to them while they were with Treebeard. They described to the others the Entmoot they had been a witness of, and the destruction of Isengard. 

Eli listened with amazement at how the Ents ruined Isengard. _I never thought that they would be so…well, vindictive. _"Wow, that was incredible! I mean, looking and talking with Treebeard, I never thought he and the other Ents would actually be capable of all this."

"You know what they say," Camille said solemnly. "Silent waters run deep. And besides, after what Merry and Pip said, they were bound to get back at Saruman at one point or another. It just happened to be now. And the timing was pretty damn good. If they hadn't dealt with Saruman while we handled Helm's Deep, that place could still be crawling with Orcs, or maybe other worse things."

Once again Merry and Pippin got curious, so they had to explain what happened down at Helm's Deep. The others were more than happy to give them a blow-by-blow account of the battle, for now, as they looked back on it from the safety of memory, they saw that it was a great battle indeed, and worth many a song in the future.

Just then, Eli remembered something. _Wait a minute, what happened to Wormtongue? _"Hey Merry, Pip, do you have any idea what happened to Wormtongue? I'm sure he would've swung down here after what happened at Meduseld."

Pippin grinned, and raised a hand to point at Orthanc. "He has been locked up with Saruman in that tower. He has been there since this morning."

Camille giggled wickedly. "Oh man, that was a wasted opportunity! I wish we could've met up with him along the way here. I sure would've loved to roast him slowly while impaled on a bamboo stake like a suckling pig."

Eli grinned evilly as well. "Oh, I can see that, but wouldn't it be cooler if I made him float a thousand feet into the air, flash-froze him, and then dropped him down to watch his body shatter into a million pieces?"

Camille was about to suggest another method of painfully murdering Wormtongue when Gandalf came riding up to them, a satisfied smile on his face. 

He smiled down at the group. "Well then, it seems that you are quite pleasant here in the open." He eyed Camille and Eli with a strange smile. "Now that you are finished planning methods of torturously killing Wormtongue, I shall take your companions with me into Orthanc to speak with Saruman. I would take you two with me as well, but I feel that you need your rest more."

"But what're we going to do while you guys are busy in there?" Camille asked, and Eli knew that if she didn't have anything to keep her occupied, she'd go ballistic. 

Gandalf pointed towards the north, where many Ents were standing around. "Go over there, and you will find Treebeard. I believe you will find him interesting company. He has expressed a desire to speak with you two, so I will leave you in his hands. Does this agree with you?"

Eli smiled. _Cool! I'd like to meet Treebeard again. _"Sounds good to me, Gandalf."

"Good. Now then gentlemen, I believe that we have a meeting with Saruman right now," said Gandalf, and the Hobbits, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas got up, following the Wizard towards Orthanc.

When they had disappeared within the mists that still hung around the tower, Eli grinned, and got up. "C'mon Camille, I'd like to introduce you to Treebeard."

Camille got up slowly, and followed Eli towards the place where the Ents had gathered. "You sure he won't mind extra company?"

"Sure I'm sure! He's a little hard to deal with when it comes to getting information, but in all other aspects, he's cool," Eli said with a smile, remembering the time she had spent with Treebeard. "He's very wise; maybe as wise as Gandalf, or wiser. He's the oldest living thing to walk Middle-Earth."

"Whoa, now I think I can understand why he's so wise," Camille said.

They took the footpath that led around the walls of Isengard, and to the banks of the Isen. There they saw many Ents bending over to drink from the stream. There were a few others further downstream who looked like they were bathing, as they were standing in the middle of the stream and splashing water all over themselves with their huge hands. The sounds the Ents made was like a great marching band consisting mostly of wind instruments and drums, along with the occasional blast that sounded like an organ.

Eli looked all around for Treebeard, and at last found him standing at the furthest point upstream. With a happy smile, she and Camille ran over to him, Eli waving her arm in the air to announce their arrival. "Hey Treebeard!"

Treebeard looked up the moment he heard them, and there seemed to be a smile on his great mouth as he approached them, unhurried as usual. "Hoom, ha, we meet again Elisabeth!" he exclaimed as he got closer to them. He turned his eyes to Camille, and smiled too. "Ah, this must be the friend you spoke of! Her name was…Camille, if I remember rightly."

Camille grinned. "You're right. My name is Camille Selvitar. A pleasure to meet you, Treebeard."

Treebeard peered at her closely, then let out a sudden loud hoom of pleasure. "Ah yes, yes indeed, you are the one! Yes, the one who carries the power of the Earth as well as of the Flame! The trees of Fangorn have whispered rumors of your arrival!"

"Actually I talked to one of them," Camille replied with a slight blush.

Eli was startled when she heard that. _Camille can talk to trees?! _"Camille, since when did you start talking to trees?!"

Treebeard laughed. "Hoom, yes, yes, I believe that is only right. Your powers are growing, yes, like a young sapling with good air, soil and sunlight. Both your powers are getting stronger, and in time, maybe you will be able to heal this world's hurts by using that power." He turned away from them then, and cupped up some more water from the Isen to drink. After he did so, he continued, "Yes, it is right. Elisabeth, just as the wind and the water are your servants, so then are all plants and animals under Camille's governance, along with all the flames of heaven and earth." He looked then at Camille. "Who is this tree you spoke with."

Camille shrugged. "An old oak named Greencrown."

Treebeard laughed again. "Ha, hoom, yes, yes indeed. Greencrown is the oldest oak yet living in Fangorn. He was a sapling when Middle-Earth was first created, and when I first came into being. You could say that we have aged together, quite well, I might add."

They spent more time together, chatting and talking about lots of things. Treebeard was more than content to listen to the two girls, though he did contribute his own ideas every now and then. 

They were in the middle of discussing what to do with Wormtongue (Camille wanted to roast him, Eli wanted to freeze him, and Treebeard wanted neither, saying it was too hasty), when Gandalf came up to them, a smile on his face as he led Whitewing and Blackwing to them. "Come then," he said to them. "Get on your horses, we are leaving and returning to Edoras." He glanced at Treebeard with a friendly smile. "I do hope these two young ladies have not been too much for you to handle."

"Hoom, hoom, no, not at all!" Treebeard exclaimed with a hearty laugh that sounded like a great boom in an organ pipe. "They are interesting, very interesting indeed! I would have liked to spend some more time with them, but it appears that you are going off in haste once more. I and a few of my companions shall see you off."

With that Eli and Camille followed Gandalf as they went back to the ruined gates, Treebeard and a dozen other Ents came walking behind them. When they reached their group, the others were literally stunned into silence upon seeing Treebeard and his companions, but relaxed somewhat since Gandalf was around. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas stared at them in wonder.

"Here are three of my companions, Treebeard," said Gandalf. "You have not met them, but I have spoken of them and I am certain that Eli and Camille have as well." He named them one by one.

The Old Ent looked at them long and searchingly, and spoke to them in turn. Last he turned to Legolas. "So you have come all the way from Mirkwood, my good Elf? A very great forest it used to be!"

"And still is," said Legolas. "But not so great that we who dwell there ever tire of seeing new trees. I should dearly love to journey in Fangorn's Wood. I scarcely passed beyond the eaves of it, and I did not wish to turn back."  
  


Treebeard's eyes gleamed with pleasure. "I hope you may have your wish, ere the hills be much older," he said.

"I will come, if I have the fortune, and possibly with my bride, if chance and she herself will permit," said Legolas, discreetly sliding a glance and a smile in Camille's direction. "I have made a bargain with a friend that, if all goes well, we will visit Fangorn together – by your leave."

Treebeard laughed, eyes flickering to Camille as he did so. "Hoom, your bride? Yes, I daresay your bride will be hailed in Fangorn. All the songbirds will rush to greet her with a chorus, if that should happen! And as for your friend, any Elf that comes with you will be welcome."

"The friend I speak of is not an Elf," said Legolas; "I mean Gimli, Gloin's son here." Gimli bowed low, and the axe slipped from his belt and clattered to the ground.

"Hoom, hm! Ah now," said Treebeard, looking dark-eyed at him. "A Dwarf and an axe-bearer! Hoom! I have good will to Elves; but you ask much. This is a strange friendship!"

"Strange it may seem," said Legolas; "but while Gimli lives I shall not come into Fangorn, alone or with my bride. His axe is not for trees, but for Orc-necks, O Fangorn, Master of Fangorn's Wood. Forty-two he hewed in the battle."

"Hoo! Come now!" said Treebeard. "That is a better story! Well, well, things will go as they will; and there is no need to hurry to meet them. But now we must part for a while. Day is drawing to an end, yet Gandalf says you must go ere nightfall, and the Lord of the Mark is eager for his own house."

"Yes, we must go, and go now," said Gandalf. "I fear that I must take your gatekeepers from you. But you will manage well enough without them."

"Maybe I shall," said Treebeard. "But I shall miss them. We have become friends in so short a while that I think I must be getting hasty – growing backwards towards youth, perhaps. But there, they are the few thing beneath Sun or Moon I have seen for many a long, long day. I shall not forget them. They shall remain friends as long as trees are renewed. Fare you well! But if you hear news up in your pleasant land, in the Shire, send me word! You know what I mean: word or sight of the Entwives! Come yourselves if you can!"

"We will!" said Merry and Pippin together, and they turned away hastily. Treebeard looked at them, and was silent for a while, shaking his head thoughtfully. But he stopped, and turned to Eli and Camille. "Well now, it seems we must part ways once more!"

Eli grinned. "Yeah, looks that way. But don't worry, when this is all over I'll come back and look for you somewhere in Fangorn Wood." She glanced at Camille, and snickered when she saw her stunned reaction, still gazing at Legolas. _Oh boy, guess she didn't think THAT was coming! _In a confiding voice, she added, "Oh, and sorry if Camille's kind of dazed right now. Didn't think that Legolas was actually planning to marry her, though how it couldn't have been more obvious, I don't know."

Treebeard chuckled then, and sounded like his loud laugh, only softer. "Aye, I agree with you. Good luck then, and safe journey!" With that the company of Gandalf and Theoden rode off, heading towards Edoras. Behind them in the darkening shadows loomed Orthanc, a growing circle of Ents surrounding it. In the sky, the moon slowly rose, and the twinkling stars emerged from behind the clear blue sky of day.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, and fin! FINALLY, Merry and Pippin are back with the rest of the gang! So as of the moment, out of the Eleven that left Rivendell, about…eight are still around, since Boromir's dead and Sam and Frodo are somewhere up in Mordor. But the gang is soon going to be chopped up, as those of you who have read the books know. And I'm sorry if I didn't put the girls in the confrontation with Saruman. I just found that writing that part would be a little too hard for me to do, as I wouldn't know what Saruman would do to these girls. But I still got to have my fun with Camille ^_~. Ooh, when was Legolas going to propose to her?! Naughty, naughty Elf, saying that she's your bride when you haven't even mentioned anything like that to her ^_~. Anyway, I expand a little more on that topic in the next chapter. It's fluff time once again! See ya!


	38. Chapter Thirty-seven: My Bride...

Chapter Thirty Seven: My Bride… 

Camille couldn't keep her mind from spinning during the ride back to Edoras. And it circled on one topic alone: that Legolas had declared to the WHOLE WIDE WORLD that he intended to marry her without telling HER first.

_What am I going to do, _Camille panicked. _I'm only seventeen…okay, I'm turning eighteen soon anyway, and when that time comes I'm legally old enough to marry…but I'm not ready for that yet! At least, I THINK I'm not ready for that yet. And how am I going to tell this to my parents?! Speaking of parents, I don't think I'm ready to BE one…oh God, I hope Legolas doesn't want half-a-dozen babies from me, I don't know how I'd handle giving birth to all of them…much less how to handle them as they grow up… Wait a minute, why am I even THINKING this way?! We're not even MARRIED yet!_

Eli came riding up to her side at that moment, and snickered. "Hey Camille, something bothering you? You don't look too good."

"Well how can I look good if I don't feel good, and how can I feel good if I just find out today that Legolas plans on marrying me?!" Camille demanded, the panic clear in her voice. She looked at her best friend, eyes wild and desperate. "Did you know?! Did he tell you anything?!"

"Hey, hey, cool it girl!" Eli exclaimed with an amused laugh as she patted her best friend on the back to calm her down. "And no, I didn't know that he was planning on marrying you." She paused, then added, "Okay, so maybe I had a hint, but it was from mere observation. It was inevitable, you know. I mean, how can a guy – human or Elf – love a girl the way he does and NOT think of marrying her? Come on Camille, think about it: he's head over heels in love with you, right?"

Camille nodded in answer.

"And you're in love with him too, right?"

"Yeah." Camille looked up in time to see Eli grin.

"So naturally, if you look at this logically, the next step would be engagement, and then marriage," her best friend answered cheerfully. Eli grinned wickedly then. "Oh, and by the way, I want to be your maid-of-honor."

Finally feeling relaxed about the whole thing, Camille laughed too. "My maid-of-honor or maid-of-horror?"

"Oh, both, if you'd like. Maid-of-honor at the wedding, maid-of-horror at the reception."

"Yeah, I guess you can do that," Camille laughed. "But while we're on the topic of weddings, I want to be YOUR maid-of-honor when you get married to Elladan or Elrohir."

Camille knew she had hit a weak spot when she saw Eli blush, and look away. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

Camille grinned. _Aha, jackpot! _"You know very well what I mean! So, who's it gonna be?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Oh, that so? Well then, looks like you're going to have to split them then. You can have one in the day, then the other one at night! You can rotate them around every other day so that you can spend quality time with both at the same time! And I don't think it should be too much trouble, as they both look the same, so it'll be like having one man but in two different bodies!"

That comment earned her a hard whack from Eli, who shook her head in a gesture of mock-despair. "It's so like you to think of that sort of plan."

Camille grinned again, a more immoral thought popping into her head. _Let's see how she reacts to this… _She leaned as close to Eli as their horses would allow, and whispered, "Then again, it'd be fun to go the way of a ménage a trois…"

"CAMILLE!!!" 

Camille laughed, and spurred Blackwing ahead to escape from Eli's punch. _She seemed to take that pretty well. _But Eli didn't follow her, and Camille felt that she was safe…for the meantime. She guided her horse so that she was trotting beside Aragorn, who didn't miss the strange smile on her face.

"You seem quite pleased with yourself," Aragorn said bemusedly. "What did you and Eli talk about?"

Camille giggled irrepressibly, and shook her head. _Nah, if I tell him what we talked about he'd probably keel right over and fall off poor Hasufel. _"Don't worry, it wasn't anything important. Just a little something between us two girls." 

Aragorn did not stop smiling, but he shrugged, and turned away. "If that is what you say, then I shall leave it be."

*      *      *

"EEYAH! Eli, I am going to get you for this!"

Eli laughed to the wind as she ran away from a soaking-wet – and horribly mad – Camille. "Hah, I'd like to see you try that, squirt!"

Camille growled, and eyed her with a menacing look, which wasn't that effective since she was completely drenched with water. "Come over here and say that to my face, you brat!"

"I may be a brat, but I'm a smart one!" Eli hollered as she jumped over and around obstacles that came in the form of people trying to set up camp. On any normal day the Riders would have been irritated by such a childish display, but they were all feeling pretty good after their victory at Helm's Deep, and so seemed quite tolerating of their pranks. 

Eli ducked behind Theoden's tent, and waited, knowing that later on Camille would be able to find her, and then beat her within an inch of her life. But when it took too long for Camille to get back at her, Eli pouted. _Maybe she found something more interesting to do. _She was about to go out and look for her best friend, but she was stopped by the soft sound of footsteps coming from around the opposite side of the tent. Not wishing to be found, she peeked out around the corner, and drew back into the shadows as Legolas and Camille approached. She noticed that a long gray cloak was now draped around Camille, and she figured that it was Legolas'. Eli's eyebrow went upwards in amusement and curiosity. _Ooh, what's up with those two? _

She watched from the shadows as Legolas pulled Camille to the edge of a little grove, not close enough for her to be seen, but not far enough that Eli couldn't hear their conversation and see what they were doing.

Legolas smiled down at Camille. "Camille, why did you seem so troubled this afternoon?"

Camille sighed, and shrugged. "Gee, I dunno. Maybe that marriage proposal thing caught me off my guard," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"And what is so wrong with that?" Legolas asked with a laugh as he took her hand in his. "Did you think I would lie about it?"

"No, I didn't think you would LIE about it, it's just that… Why did the whole world have to know before I did?" Camille asked, the panic coming into her voice again.

Eli stifled another snicker. _Poor Camille. She really doesn't know how she's going to handle this whole thing, does she? _

Legolas' face became serious, and he started speaking in Sindarin this time. ^Why is that, Eriol? Did you not think I would marry you? I thought you knew this.^

"Well no, I didn't," Camille replied. She sighed, trying to relax herself. "It's just…such a big shock for me. Don't get me wrong Legolas, I really love you, and I WOULD marry you if you asked me, but…does the whole world have to know about it before I do?"

Legolas chuckled, and pulled Camille close to him. "I see your point, and I am sorry for that. But now that you have mentioned it…" He pulled away from her, and looked at her seriously. ^Eriol, I know that our future is balanced on the edge of a knife as of the moment, and that we can only fall into death or victory. But…should the tide of this war turn…and go in our favor…then no greater prize, no greater honor, could be given to me than to have your hand in marriage.^ He knelt down in front of her, looking up at her with an ardent and sincere gaze. ^Camille Selvitar, would you marry me and be my wife?^

Eli held her breath. _Come on girl, say it, say it! Say you'll marry him! _

Camille grinned broadly, and threw her arms around Legolas' neck. "If you haven't figured it out yet… OF COURSE I WOULD YOU BIG DUMMY!! I love you too much to say no!"

Eli rolled her eyes. _GREAT response, Camille. You just ruined what could be the most perfect, the most romantic – and the ONLY - proposal I've ever had the chance of overhearing in my entire life…_

Just then, Camille added another line to her statement: "But I want you NOT to do anything until AFTER this is over. Don't even give up your immortality yet. And…can we wait a year, at least? I'm only seventeen, and I feel a little TOO young to get married. So…can you settle for a long engagement for the meantime? If the Ring is destroyed, then great, let's get married, with all the ceremonies and stuff. But if not…you're free to come and…claim what is yours…with my consent…before the End comes and takes us both." Here Camille blushed, and turned away from Legolas. "I'd rather face the End in your arms, than anywhere else without you."

The Elf laughed, and stood up again, wrapping his arms around her. "It shall be as you wish, my love. If it is a long engagement that you need, then I accede to it. But," he whispered now, and his voice dipped in tonality, "would you indeed freely give to me what you have…should the End come?"

"It's an offer that kind of scares me," Camille answered, "but I guess it's only proper…"

Finally deciding that she was sick and tired of hiding, Eli stepped out into the pale light of the moon, and grinned at the couple. "Aw, that was just so sweet! And you guys shouldn't worry about the End coming…cause we're going to kick Sauron's ass out of Middle-Earth, and make sure he STAYS out!"

Dead silence for a long while. And then suddenly: "ELI!!!! YOU BRATTY, SNEAKY LITTLE NINJA YOU!!! I SWEAR I AM GOING TO KILL YOU THIS TIME AROUND!!!!"

Eli only laughed, and the chase began all over again.

*      *      *

Camille had been enjoying a wonderful dream, which seemed to involve her in a wedding dress walking down the aisle with Legolas waiting for her at the end of it, when suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream tore her right out of the vision and dumped her into reality. She sat up with a sharp jerk, eyes wide with surprise. "What in the name of all the angels and archangels was that?!"

She caught movement from her right, and she turned to look. She saw Pippin lying flat on the ground, twitching like he was having some sort of seizure, and there was a dark crystal ball lying at his feet. Camille blinked when she saw the thing. _What's that? I don't remember Pippin carrying anything that vaguely resembled that…_

"So this is the thief!" said Gandalf as he came running up to Pippin. Hastily he cast his cloak over the globe where it lay. "But you, Pippin! This is a grievous turn to things!"

"What happened here?" Camille asked as she came walking up towards Gandalf and Pippin. The Hobbit was lying on his back, rigid, with unseeing eyes staring at the sky. "Gandalf, what happened to him?!"

The Wizard's face was drawn and haggard. "I cannot answer that question yet, not until I extract the information I need." He took Pippin's hand and bent over his face, listening for his breath; then laid his hands on his brow. The Hobbit shuddered. His eyes closed. He cried out; and sat up, staring in bewilderment at all the faces round him, pale in the moonlight.

"It is not for you, Saruman!" he cried in a shrill and toneless voice, shrinking away from Gandalf. "I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that!" Then he struggled to get up and escape, but Eli, who had been standing just nearby, reached out and grabbed him, holding him within the folds of her cape. 

"Pippin, Pippin!" she called to him, his struggling ineffectual since she was twice as tall and somewhat stronger than he, "Pippin, wake up! Snap out of it, Pip! Come back!"

The Hobbit relaxed, and fell back, Gandalf catching him in the nick of time. "Gandalf!" he cried. "Gandalf! Forgive me!"

"Forgive you?" said the Wizard. "Tell me first what you have done!"

At this Pippin started babbling about seeing high battlements in the crystal globe, and that he had been visited by HIM. Camille shuddered involuntarily. _That can only mean one person – Sauron. _She turned away from the interrogation, and joined the others, who were all standing around the stone and looking pretty troubled, even if it had been covered now with Gandalf's cloak.

At long last Gandalf joined their little circle, and when he did, Eli asked, "So how's Pip?"

"He will be alright, I believe," Gandalf replied. "He was not held for long, and Hobbits have an amazing power of recovery. The memory, or the horror of it, will probably fade quickly. Too quickly, perhaps. Will you, Aragorn, take the Orthanc-stone and guard it? It is a dangerous charge."

"Dangerous indeed, but not to all," said Aragorn. "There is one who may claim it by right. For this assuredly is the palantir of Orthanc from the treasury of Elendil, set here by the Kings of Gondor. Now my hour draws near. I will take it."

Camille blinked in slight surprise when Gandalf lifted the covered stone, and presented it to Aragorn with a bow. "Receive it, lord!" he said: "in earnest of other things that shall be given back. But if I may counsel you in the use of your own, do not use it – yet! Be wary!"

"When have I been hasty or unwary, who have waited and prepared for so many long years?" said Aragorn.

"Never yet. Do not then stumble at the end of the road," answered Gandalf. "But at least keep this thing secret. You and all others that stand here! The Hobbit, Peregrin, above all should not know where it is bestowed. The evil fit may come on him again. For alas! He has handled it and looked in it, as should never have happened. He ought never to have touched it in Isengard, and there I should have been quicker."

Camille shrugged. "But you've got to give Pip some credit. I read about this palantir thingy in Rivendell, and I squeezed as much information as I could from Elrond. At least it was just HIM who got tempted; if it had been you, Gandalf, I don't want to think what could be coming down our necks right about now."

Gandalf chuckled. "Yes, I do suppose you are right. But now the mind of the Dark Lord will be turned to Isengard, if my suspicions prove to be true, and this is not entirely wholesome for us. We must make haste and leave soon. I will ride ahead at once with Peregrin Took. It will be better for him than lying in the dark while others sleep."

"I will keep Eomer and ten Riders," said Theoden. "They shall ride with me at early day. The rest may go with Aragorn and ride as soon as they have a mind."

"As you will," said Gandalf. "But make all the speed you may to the cover of the hills, to Helm's Deep!"

Suddenly a cold wave of menace and fear washed over Camille, and she shuddered, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself. She looked up, and watched as a large, winged shadow blotted out the face of the moon. Wheeling north, it flew off, with a speed greater than any wind of Middle-Earth. The stars flickered as it passed, black against black, until it was gone.

For a while, everyone was silent. But in moments, Gandalf let out a cry. "Nazgul! The Messenger of Mordor. The storm is coming. The Nazgul have crossed the River! Ride, ride! Wait not for the dawn! Let not the swift wait for the slow! Ride!"

Almost instantly there was a flurry of activity around the camp. People were packing up their belongings, packing up the tents, and getting back onto their horses as fast as they could. Camille and Eli immediately packed the few belongings they had, and looked for Blackwing and Whitewing. They mounted their horses quickly, and watched as Gandalf took Pippin with him to who-knew-where.

Camille shrugged at that. _Well he's safer with Gandalf than any of us are, even if there are so many of us. _She and Eli trotted over to Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, who stood nearby. Merry was seated with Aragorn, and Gimli was with Legolas. 

"So six of the Company still remain," said Aragorn. "We will ride on together. But we shall not go alone, as I thought. The king is now determined to set out at once. Since the coming of the winged shadow, he desires to return to the hills under the cover of night."

"Then where do we go from there?" Eli asked as she shifted slightly in her saddle.

"I cannot say yet," Aragorn answered. "As for the king, he will go to the muster that he commanded at Edoras, four nights from now. And there, I think, he will hear tidings of war and the Riders of Rohan will go down to Minas Tirith. But for myself, and any that will go with me…"

"I for one!" cried Legolas. "And Gimli with him!" said the Dwarf.

"Well, for myself," said Aragorn, "it is dark before me. I must go down also to Minas Tirith, but I do not yet see the road. An hour long prepared approaches."

Camille grinned at him then. "Hope you don't plan on leaving me and Eli behind. You three males need a woman to keep you in line."

"To keep us in line or to keep YOU in line?" Gimli returned, half in jest and half in irritation.

"I mostly agree with Camille, but yeah, we sometimes need you guys to keep us in line," Eli answered.

"Don't leave me behind!" said Merry. "I have not been of much use yet; but I don't want to be laid aside, like baggage to be called for when all is over. I don't think the Riders will want to be bothered with me now. Though, of course, the king did say I was to sit by him when he came to his house and tell him all about the Shire."

"Yes," said Aragorn, "and your road lies with him, I think, Merry. But do not look for mirth at the ending. It will be long, I fear, ere Theoden sits at ease again in Meduseld. Many hopes will wither in this bitter Spring."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, done at last! I know, the wedding proposal isn't exactly the most romantic thing in the world, but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles! And I've finally gotten past TT! I will now move on to ROTK cheers!!! We have now reached a turning point in the story. The next few chapters will no longer focus so much on the relationship of Legolas and Camille, but on that of Eli, Elladan, and Elrohir. Hey, it's about time I gave the girl a chance! She's been nagging at me for quite a while now, and I believe that THIS is her opportunity. Anyway, next up: on the return trip to Edoras, Theoden's party meet up with a strange group of riders. Who might they be? Read and learn, my friends!


	39. Chapter Thirty-eight: The Return of the ...

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Return of the Twins and the Paths of the WHAT?! 

Eli grasped the reins in her hand, twining them around her leather-gloved hands to prevent them from slipping. The moon was setting in the west, and she knew that morning was about to come. They had just passed the mounds at the Ford of Isen, when a Rider galloped up from the rear of their line.

"My lord," he said to the king, "there are horsemen behind us. As we crossed the fords I thought that I heard them. Now we are sure. They are overtaking us, riding hard."

Theoden at once called a halt. The Riders turned about and seized their spears. Eli turned Whitewing around, and drew her sword, dismounting from Whitewing's back to stand beside Aragorn. _If Sauron even THINKS of getting to us now, I am going to pull out ALL the stops!_ In the meantime, Camille pulled an arrow out of her quiver and nocked her bow, though she didn't draw it yet. Legolas did the same. Merry had drawn his sword, and stood nearby – albeit looking more than a little nervous.

The sinking moon was obscured by a great sailing cloud, but suddenly it rode out clear again. Then they all heard the sound of hooves, and at the same moment they saw dark shapes coming swiftly on the path from the fords. The moonlight glinted here and there on the points of spears. The number of the pursuers could not be told, but they seemed no fewer than the king's escort, at the least.

When they were some fifty paces off, Eomer cried in a loud voice: "Halt! Halt! Who rides in Rohan?"

The pursuers brought their steeds to a sudden stand. A silence followed; and then in the moonlight, a horseman could be seen dismounting and walking slowly forward. His hand showed white as he held it up, palm outward, in token of peace; but the king's men gripped their weapons. At ten paces the man stopped. He was tall, a dark standing shadow. Then his clear voice rang out.

"Rohan? Rohan did you say? That is a glad word. We seek that land in haste from long afar."

"You have found it," said Eomer. "When you crossed the fords yonder you entered it. But it is the realm of Theoden the King. None ride here save by his leave. Who are you? And what is your haste?"

"Halbarad Dunadan, Ranger of the North I am," cried the man. "We seek one Aragorn son of Arathorn, and we heard that he was in Rohan."

"And you have found him also!" cried Aragorn. Giving his reins to Merry, he ran forward and embraced the newcomer. "Halbarad!" he said. "Of all joys this is the least expected."

Eli sighed, and relaxed, sheathing her sword and letting her guard down slightly. _Phew, that was a close one! I almost thought these dudes were one of Saruman's old tricks! _

"All is well," said Aragorn, turning back. "Here are some of my own kin from the far land where I dwelt. But why they come, and how many they be, Halbarad shall tell us."

"I have thirty with me," said Halbarad. "That is all of our kindred that could be gathered in haste; but the brethren Elladan and Elrohir have ridden with us, desiring to go to the war."

Almost instantly, Eli froze where she stood. _Elladan and Elrohir are HERE?!?!?! _She then felt a sudden urge to just melt into the ground, or disappear into the shadows, or just take Whitewing and run off somewhere, anywhere. _I'm not ready to face up to them yet! _

But she had no other choice. Theoden had agreed to let the Dunedain come with them to Edoras, and that meant Elladan and Elrohir would ride with them. She got onto Whitewing's back, and together they trotted up to Camille, who was just nearby.

The auburn-haired girl smiled wickedly at her. "Ooh, looks like they couldn't take it, going out and about without you. Elladan must really love you then."

"Shut up Camille," Eli growled, keeping her face pointed on the road ahead of them. But deep inside, her heart was doing all kinds of cartwheels and back flips. Reaching up to her pendant, she felt it through her clothes, clutching it tightly. _What am I going to do?! _

*      *      *

Elladan allowed a smile to pierce through his usually calm and unperturbed surface when he saw a blue-caped figure riding ahead of him. _Eli…_ He had long since figured out that blue was the girl's favored color, and it was because of this she was easy to spot. He longed to go to her, to hold her in his arms once more after so many long months of agony without her, but he controlled himself, knowing that he would have more than enough time once they reached the Hornburg, and even more once they got to Meduseld.

^I seem to have forgotten how lovely she is,^ Elladan whispered to his brother as the two of them rode side-by-side.

Elrohir shook his head. ^I have not. I have never forgotten how beautiful she is, but to see her once more, here, on the fields of battle, is like looking upon a person one loves and values after a long war.^

Elladan stared at his brother in surprise. _I have never heard him speak such words before. _^Elrohir, what do you mean by those words? I have not heard you speak of such things before. Why would you do so now?^

But Elrohir was silent, and would not say anything more. Knowing that something was troubling his twin and that it was best to leave him alone, Elladan said nothing more, leaving it up to his brother to decide when and where to tell him what was wrong with him.

*      *      *

Elrohir's heart ached as he gazed at Eli, watching as she whiled away their hours at the Hornburg by chatting with Camille, Legolas, Gimli and Merry. The four had grown very close due to the sore trials they had to endure, but it was good, since their bonds of friendship were now very strong, even between Legolas and Gimli.

_What must I do, _he asked himself. He was torn between his loyalty to his brother and his love for Eli, and it did not do him any good. On one hand, it was he who had strived to bring the two of them together, but in doing so, he had fallen dangerously in love with the young woman who had captured his brother's heart. He had to admit to himself that she had appealed to him, but it was at first only the appeal of having a friend like her. In the end, that appeal had grown, and had flowered fully into one of love, deep-rooted and strong. But by the time he had sorted out his feelings, it was too late.

Just then, Eli's voice came sailing through the air over to him. "Elrohir, what are you doing there all alone?! Come on over here and join us!"

Elrohir snapped out of his thoughts, and looked up to see Eli waving him over, a cheerful smile on her face. Smiling back at her, he stood up, and walked over to their circle. "And what have you been discussing?"

Eli snickered, and nodded towards Camille and Legolas. "Oh, what I'm going to do once my best friend gets married and leaves me all by my lonesome."

"ELI!" Camille cried as she lightly kicked her best friend's shin. "We're not getting married YET! I'm only SEVENTEEN, for crying out loud!"

"Yeah, but I don't think that really matters here."

Legolas nodded thoughtfully. "I have heard that it is common among mortal females to wed at the age of fifteen."

Camille scowled. "Legolas, you're not helping at all. And it matters to ME! Besides, we still have more important things to deal with, like how to send Sauron screaming out of Mordor."

Eli grinned wickedly. "That's easy! Just stick your face in front of his and go 'BOO'! He'll be so freaked out that he'll go running with his tail between his legs!"

"VERY funny Eli. That was so funny I forgot to laugh," Camille said dryly. "And as for the whole wedding thing, yeah, we ARE going to get married if that's what you want to know, but we plan to wait for a year or so, if everything goes well. A long engagement, if you will."  
  


Elrohir nodded. "Yes, a long engagement seems proper. In these evil times, things are very uncertain." _And even in times of security such as these, my heart is still unsettled, _he thought as he looked at Eli.

Camille waved her hand. "Whatever." She grinned then, her eyes holding a mischievous glint. "So tell us what's been going on in Rivendell, Elrohir. Have you found an Elf-maiden who suits your tastes yet?"

"I have not," Elrohir admitted, though it was a struggle to keep his voice even and his face devoid of any hint of a blush. _Well, I am telling the truth, for it is not an Elf-maiden who has captured my interests. _

Just then, one of the stewards of Theoden approached their group. "My Lords and Ladies," he said, bowing, "may I excuse Master Meriadoc for a moment? The King wishes to speak with him."

Merry smiled broadly, and stood up, bowing to his friends. "If you will excuse me for a moment, I will be back when my business is through." With that he turned, and followed the steward to wherever Theoden was.

Eli laughed softly as she watched Merry walk off. "Seems like the longer he hangs around Legolas, the more he picks up on the politeness department." She looked up with a sudden motion, as if it as only then that something had caught her attention. "Wait a minute. Where's Aragorn?"

"He is up in a high chamber in the Burg," Elrohir answered, "dealing in some secret business with his kinsman, Halbarad."

Eli's face fell into a frown; apparently there was a thought that troubled her. "Really? He's been up there an awful long time… Maybe we should go check up on him."

"I do not think that will be necessary, Eli."

Elrohir did not need to look to know who had arrived. _I would recognize Elladan anywhere. _He glanced over his shoulder, and noticed Elladan and Halbarad flanking Aragorn, who looked like he had not slept for many long nights.

Camille blinked, shaking her head. "Aragorn, what HAPPENED to you?! I don't mean to offend or anything, but, jeez, you look AWFUL!"

Eli was a little more sardonic about it. "Since when did Halbarad kill and resurrect you, Aragorn? If he did, I don't think he did a good job at it. You look like someone dug you up from a grave."

Aragorn chuckled softly, for he had taken the remarks in good humor. "I know that I do not look my best right now, but what difference does it make to one who has been traveling up and down the roads with very little rest and sleep?"

"I know you looked bad – we all do - but this is different," Camille answered. "Like Eli said, you look dead on your feet. It's a miracle you haven't passed out yet, from the way you look."

Halbarad laughed at that comment. "I doubt if the Heir of Isildur would falter yet, even if he looks 'dead on his feet' as you call it."

Just then, Eomer appeared from the gate. He walked up to them, and bowed. "My Lords and Ladies, the King has said that we shall make ready to ride now. The horses are at the gate."

Aragorn nodded, and walked to follow Eomer to the gate. Elrohir moved to follow him, Elladan walking beside him as he always did. With them walked Halbarad  bearing the great staff close-furled in black, and behind him were Legolas, Gimli, Eli and Camille. 

Elrohir approached his horse when they exited the gate, and sat on the back of his steed, lost once more in thought. His gaze flitted to Eli as she mounted her horse, her blue cape a startling yet pleasing contrast against the white hide of her mount. _What shall I do with this love I have? _

*      *      *

Camille felt her jaw slacken when she heard from Aragorn where exactly they were going after they made a short stopover at Meduseld. _The Paths of the WHAT?!?!?! _She looked over at Eli, noticing that her best friend had become just a touch paler. _Uh oh, not good. _

Elladan approached her then, his face looking more than a little worried. "Camille, could you tell me what troubles Eli? She does not seem well."

Camille sighed, and shook her head. "Later Elladan. I need to have a word with Aragorn about this Paths of the Dead thing." _Yeah, for the sake of the sanity of my best friend. _

After the host of Theoden had ridden off, Camille made a move to ask the question of Aragorn, but Legolas beat her to another one. 

"Come!" said Legolas. "Speak and be comforted, and shake off the shadow! What has happened since we came back to this grim place in the gray morning?"

"A struggle somewhat grimmer for my part than the battle of the Hornburg," answered Aragorn. "I have looked into the Stone of Orthanc, my friends."

Camille's eyebrow immediately went into orbit. "You…what?"

"You have looked into that accursed stone of wizardry!" exclaimed Gimli with fear and astonishment in his face. "Did you say aught to – him? Even Gandalf feared that encounter."

"You forget to whom you speak," said Aragorn sternly, and his eyes glinted. "What do you fear that I should say to him? Did I not openly proclaim my title before the doors of Edoras? Nay Gimli," he said in a softer voice, and the grimness left his face, and he looked like one who has labored in sleepless pain for many nights. "Nay my friends, I am the lawful master of the Stone, and I had both the right and the strength to use it, or so I judged. The right cannot be doubted. The strength was enough – barely."

"So what you did was have a staring match with Sauron? As in Aragorn versus the Big Evil Eye Wrapped in Fire?" Camille asked. 

"That is an oversimplified version of what I have done, but perhaps you can put it in that manner," Aragorn answered.

Camille nodded, satisfied – more or less – with his answer. "Okay, now that the question as to why you emerged from the tower looking like a zombie has been answered, I want to put my own question on the line."

Aragorn nodded. "Of course."

"Good." She maneuvered Blackwing closer to Roheryn, Aragorn's horse from the North, and whispered, "Aragorn, when you say Paths of the Dead, do you really mean 'dead people', not just as some sort of metaphor or something?"

Aragorn turned to her, his eyes showing that he was somewhat surprised. "It is said that the dead spirits of Men haunt that place still. The people who live near that place fear someone they call the King of the Dead, a dreadful spirit who leads an entire horde of ghost soldiers up and down the Paths. Why do you ask me such a question?"

Camille took a deep breath to steady her voice, and waited until Elladan and Elrohir were in earshot before she answered. "I may have never told you guys this yet, but Eli is sort of…psychic, having what we call in our world the 'third eye' or the 'sixth sense', if you will. Basically, she can see things that most ordinary people can't see, and she can feel things that normal people can't. And that includes the spirit of a person who is dead. And believe me, it isn't a nice talent to have."

"Is that why she seemed so troubled a moment ago?" Elrohir asked anxiously. 

"Uh huh. She's told me loads of times before that seeing things others can't see is a very freaky thing. I mean, she sits in a room with a rocking chair in it, and she sees an old lady in the chair. I do the same thing, and I see nothing. That's cause the old lady is dead, and it's her ghost sitting in the chair. 

"Another good example of this is what happened at Moria. While we were in the Chamber of Mazarbul, Eli felt all the spirits of the dead Dwarves. The only thing that managed to keep them back was the fact that she had a lot of things on her mind and those Orcs and the troll suddenly attacked us.

"When she heard Aragorn mention 'Paths of the Dead', she figured out immediately that it had something to do with ghosts. Lots of them. When that happens, her senses are going to go into overdrive mode, and she'll start feeling the presence of the ghosts and the spirits."

Elladan looked very concerned. "How does she sense them?"

Camille shrugged. "You know how you can sometimes feel the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand on end when you sense something is nearby? That's how it goes. If there are more ghosts around, the greater the chill, and in an attempt to keep them at bay, she has to expend her energy. And the longer she does that and the more ghosts there are, she eventually wears out her energy store from the inside. If she does it for too long, she folds up, and either the ghosts possess her, or…"

"Or what?" Elrohir asked urgently.

"Or she joins them as another ghost," Camille answered quietly.

Aragorn was silent, contemplating. "What should we do then?" he asked at last. "If we take her with us, we run the risk of losing her to the spirits. But if we leave her in Meduseld, we risk facing her wrath."

Camille sighed. _There's only one solution to the entire thing. _"There's no way we're going to leave her behind, because if we do that and she finds out… I don't even want to visualize what'll happen to Meduseld. So we're going to have to take her along…but be extra careful. Someone's going to have to keep her from drifting too far, keep her rooted in the present. Either that, or make a special charm to keep all the ghosts away…but that's going to take too much time, and I don't think the materials are here anyway. So that means we're going to use Plan A."

Aragorn sighed. "Then perhaps that is a risk we must take." He closed his eyes momentarily, as if deep in thought. When he opened them again, they seemed rather careworn and troubled. "We shall further discuss this tonight, when we reach Edoras."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, done. Hehehe, the twins are BAAACK! Let's see what happens to Eli at Meduseld, while Camille and Aragorn discuss how to keep the ghostie-wosties away from her. And for those who are curious, yes, it IS like this for those who have the "sixth sense", as based on the testimony of my friend who has that "gift" (though I hesitate to call it that). Anyway, keep on reading people! Will Elrohir manage to figure out his feelings for Eli? Or will he lose her to his brother? Find that out in the succeeding chapters. See y'all in the next chap!


	40. Chapter Thirty-nine: Too Late?

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Too Late? 

Eli was all but ready to fall asleep atop Whitewing when they had finally reached Dunharrow, and came to the Golden Hall of the Kings of Rohan. 

Camille walked up to her, nudging her in the ribs to keep her awake as they climbed the steps up to the hall. "Hey Eli, snap out of it! We still have to eat dinner before we can all collapse in bed."

Eli groaned. _Oh jeez, dinner?! I just want to SLEEP! _"Can I skip it for tonight? I'm afraid that if I even sit down to dinner, I'll just fall face-first into my food."

Camille rolled her eyes. "Oh you're hopeless!" She fiddled with her pack, and pulled out a small dark object. "Here, have some of this. It might keep you awake long enough to act decent all throughout dinner tonight."

Eli cupped the object in her palm, and looked at it through bleary eyes. It was a piece of coffee-flavored candy, still wrapped. "What do you want me to do with a piece of candy?"

"Oh gee, I dunno, maybe you could give it to Sauron and we can kill him while he's on a sugar high!" Camille muttered sarcastically. "Eli, I know you're tired – maybe that's why you're brains are not up to speed right now – but you've got to put something in your stomach. We've got a long, hard trip tomorrow, though I think it's going to be harder on you than on the rest of us. The candy will keep you up for a while longer, long enough that you can eat and not fall asleep right away."

Eli only shrugged at whatever Camille told her. _She's right; my mind isn't completely clear right now. _Without another word, she tore open the wrapper, and popped the candy into her mouth, sucking it slowly as they entered the hall to be greeted by Eowyn. When they reached the dining hall, she was more or less back to being herself, if a little hyper, due to the caffeine and the sugar in the candy.

When supper was through, Eli made her way to the outside patio, away from the crowd and the other people in the hall. She wanted to spend some time with herself, and sort her troubles out – particularly where they concerned a pair of Elven twins.

Sitting down in a stone bench, she leaned forward on her elbows, and rubbed her forehead slowly. _This is definitely NOT a good place to be, _she told herself. _I mean, it was easy to forget about this whole thing because there were at least a thousand miles between us, and there were other things to keep me occupied. But now that they're around…things are going to get messier._

At that, something soft and warm was draped over her shoulders, and the faint scent of a deep forest wreathed in mist enveloped her. She jerked out of her thoughts, and lifted her hands to her shoulders. Her fingertips touched the soft fabric of a gray Elven-cloak. She turned, and her eyes widened when she looked up at a pair of steely gray eyes framed by dark brown hair. _Oh jeez, one of the twins! The question is, which one is it? _ "Elrohir?"

Elrohir – for it was indeed he – smiled down at her, his eyes gleaming softly in the moonlight. "You should not stay out here for long, Eli. It is too cold for you."

Eli smirked, trying to stay calm. _Keep your cool Eli. He isn't going to bite. _"That's easy for you to say; you Elves don't really feel the difference between hot and cold."

"True, but it is sufficient enough for me to know whether it is too cold for mortals or not," Elrohir replied with a smile of his own as he sat down beside her on the bench.

They shared a companionable silence for a while, the two of them just looking at the stars that hung overhead. The wind grew a little bit colder, and Eli drew the cloak more tightly around her body to shield it from the chill. As she did so, she pulled out the Pendant of Imladris from underneath her clothes, since the silver felt cold against her skin.

Elrohir must have noticed it, because he smiled then, and said, "So you have received the present Father sent to Lothlorien. I feared that it would not get to you in time for your departure."

"I'm wearing it right now, so it certainly got to me in time," Eli said as cheerfully as she could muster. But her face fell as her fingers unconsciously twined around the pendant. _But the words that went with it are what worry me. Should I really choose between the two of you? Oh sure I should, I can't exactly have the both of you at the same time… But if I choose one, then I risk losing the other, and if I lose the one I have chosen, then I lose both. _

She was startled out of her thoughts once more when she felt strong, slender fingers wrap around her hands that were still gripping the Pendant tightly. She looked up, and met Elrohir's gaze, which seemed to her like molten silver as they looked back at her.

He sighed softly as he gently pried her hands from around the Pendant, fitting her fingers in the spaces between his own. ^As I gaze upon this fair maiden, I see again the treasure I thought I did not desire and gave away, but in the end longed for it, and desired that it be returned. But what can I do, when I have given her away so freely to someone else? Have I returned to the one my heart desires, only to learn that she does not return my love? Is my journey here to seek and to plead my case before My Lady and beg for her favor all in vain?^ 

Eli froze in her seat at the statement that Elrohir had put forth. _What?! What's he talking about?! _Her mind was spinning too fast for her to form proper thoughts, but somehow, deep in the back of her mind and heart, she knew exactly what he was talking about, and it was frightening. ^Elrohir, what are you-^

^Trying to say?^ Here Elrohir laughed softly. ^Oh Eli, Eli, fair Elisarien, as my grandmother Galadriel has named you, I wish to say that I love you, and nothing would please me more than to know that you return the feelings as well.^ 

That did it. Eli got up, the cloak dropping from her shoulders. She pulled away from Elrohir, tugging her hands away from him. She swallowed against the lump in her throat, and turned from him. ^Elrohir…please…could you just leave me alone?^

The Elf was stunned, probably by her sudden rejection. ^Eli, what-^

"Just leave me alone!" Eli exclaimed, and she dashed into the hall, heading for the room she shared with Camille. As she ran, she felt the tears come out of her eyes, and she swiped them away with her hand. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! You KNEW this was bound to happen, you KNEW you were going to get caught up in it! So now who's to blame? No one else but YOU!!! _She then threw herself onto the bed, and gradually cried herself to sleep.

*      *      *

Camille grimaced as she watched Eli run past her in the hallway, oblivious to anyone who happened to see her. _Something bad just happened. _

"What has happened to Eli?" Aragorn asked softly as he approached her from behind. 

Camille sighed, and smiled wanly. "I don't really know. She just kind of ran past me, if you didn't notice."

"Now is not the time for jokes, unfortunately," Aragorn replied gravely. "Do you have any knowledge of what may have happened to her?"

_Yeah, I might, but it isn't really pretty. _"Are you sure you want to hear about it?"

"Eli is as a sister to me, and you are the same. It is only natural for an older brother to want to know what is the matter with his younger siblings."

Camille shook her head, and smiled at the Ranger. She looked from left to right, making to sure that none of the twins were close enough to hear. When she had assured herself that the coast was clear, she dragged Aragorn into a nearby room, and answered, "Look, I'm not sure if you've already figured this out, but Eli's having a tough time deciding between Elladan and Elrohir."

Aragorn seemed surprised. "Is Eli not with Elladan? I believe I saw them kissing in Rivendell months ago."

Camille snickered. _You and everybody else in the world… _"Yeah, I know, but it looks like even then, Eli had her doubts. I don't plan on telling you the whole story yet; because I feel that if Eli found out I spilled the whole thing to you she'd kill me. All I'm going to say is that Eli doesn't know whom she really prefers, and it's hurting her a lot." She paused, then added, "Though I think that, in some strange way, she likes Elrohir better than Elladan."

Aragorn cocked an eyebrow at her. "And how have you managed to contrive such a conclusion?"

"Instinct," Camille replied, though her face was as straight and serious as it could ever get.

Aragorn stared at her for a long while. He sighed, and turned away, gazing at the dark sky outside. "You do not need to tell me anything further, for I know everything that has passed between the three of them. Elladan and Elrohir have been my brothers since my childhood, and I feel I know them as no one else does, save for Arwen and Elrond himself. They are opposites, for Elladan is forward and outgoing, while Elrohir is somewhat shy and retiring, allowing his older twin to take control of most situations.

"But when it comes to their loyalty for one another, it is unquestionable. Elrohir is willing to sacrifice anything – even if it is his own happiness – for his brother, and Elladan will readily do the same." Aragorn bowed his head in thought. "But it seems that this is an issue that Elrohir is not so willing to let go. And I cannot blame him for it. Love for a woman is potent enough to tear apart even affection as strong as theirs."

"But that's the LAST thing she would want to happen!" Camille exclaimed, panicked. "Eli would rather be food for a Mirkwood spider than be the cause of an argument between the two of them!" She swallowed, and then added, "She would rather go back to our world than see the two of them fight all over her."

Aragorn fell silent, brooding again. "No, that is not good either." He sat for a while in silence, and after what felt like an eternity, he looked up again, his gray eyes holding the same determined glint they did when the first started the hunt for Merry and Pippin from Parth Galen. He stood up, and made a move towards the door. "I shall go speak with them."

_WHAT?! No way! _Camille jumped up, and tugged at Aragorn's sleeve to restrain him. "Aragorn, you can't DO that! It'll only hurt her more!"

"You must trust me on this, Camille," Aragorn said as he smiled down at her in brotherly affection. "I know what I am doing. Please, I beg you, trust me on this."

Camille stared up at him for a while, trying to see if he had really thought this through. When she saw that there was no backing out for him, she simply sighed, and let her shoulders slump forward in defeat. "Fine, fine, do what you have to do." She narrowed her eyes at him in warning. "But if something goes wrong and Eli gets hurt, I'm going to lay the blame on you."

Aragorn chuckled softly, and pressed a brotherly kiss on her forehead. "Yes, I shall keep that in mind." He pushed her gently out the door, following behind her. "Now go, foster-sister, go to your rest." He paused, then with a mischievous smile, added, "But do not forget to bid a goodnight to your betrothed before you do."

Camille tried to scowl, but it came out a silly-looking grin. "If anyone mentions THAT again tomorrow, they're going to be on the end of a severe tongue-lashing. And that goes for you too, future King of Gondor or no. I'm going to take advantage of the fact that you're not a king yet and get all the fun I can out of it."

Aragorn laughed at her for a moment, then turned, heading out the hall into the gardens beyond.

*      *      *

Aragorn breathed in deeply as a blast of cool night air hit him square in the face. He lifted his eyes to the sky, and noticed a multitude of stars twinkling in the darkness, providing him with little light, but perhaps enough to see by.

^What is your business out here, Estel? It is late; you must get your rest.^

Aragorn chuckled as he turned, and saw Elrohir approaching him from some other part of the courtyards. He had lived with the two twin sons of Elrond for long enough that he could tell them apart. ^Why must I remain inside when the stars are shining in the sky?^

Elrohir chuckled. ^Truly you are of the Children of Luthien! Why else would you wish to see the stars as much as we of the Firstborn do?^

^Yes, I do suppose it runs in the family,^ Aragorn said good-naturedly. _But this is not the business I came here to do. _Clearing his throat, he said, ^Elrohir, there is something I wish to talk to you about.^

^And what would that be?^ asked the Elf, apparently noticing the change of Aragorn's demeanor, and guessing that whatever he was about to say was important.

Aragorn hesitated a moment, thinking about what Camille had said to him. _Aragorn, you can't DO that! It'll only hurt her more!_

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. _No, this must be done. It is a gamble, certainly, but if it works, then it will bring much peace of mind to Camille, to Eli, to the twins…and to myself. _^Elrohir, please tell me of your feelings for Elisabeth.^

Aragorn noticed Elrohir stiffen visibly, which was strange for him, as he usually took things calmly, but he relaxed eventually under Aragorn's gaze, and replied, ^What is there to say? I love her, but I am certain that my brother loves her as well. He has since he saw her.^

^But I know that there is no such thing as 'love at first sight' among the Elves,^ Aragorn answered.

Elrohir chuckled softly. ^Ah Estel, you do not know your own story then!^ He turned to look at the mortal, his silver-gray eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the stars. ^'Love at first sight', as you call it, is not frequent amongst Elves, but it happens. It happened when Luthien looked upon Beren. It happened when Elwing beheld Earendil. It happened when Arwen looked at you those many years past in Lothlorien. And it happened when Legolas espied Camille in Mirkwood.^

Aragorn nodded, realizing that Elrohir did have a point. ^Aye, you are right,^ he conceded. He glanced at Elrohir again. ^But how certain are you that it is the case with Elladan and Eli?^

Elrohir was silent for a long, long while. At length, he spoke, ^I was certain of it, when I saw the look in my brother's eye as he gazed at her. But I was quick to realize that Eli was much too cold for him to reach, so I attempted to bring her out of her shell.^ He fell silent again.

^And?^ Aragorn pressed.

^And often took the guise of my brother when I spoke with her,^ Elrohir replied with a deep sigh. ^I made her believe that it was Elladan she was speaking to, and I concerned myself with speaking to her as often as I could, trying to learn more about her. All of this I told to my brother, and when he finally felt sure of himself, he made his move. But I knew Eli more than he did.^

Aragorn gaped. _So this is it! This is the root of it all!_ ^Indeed, this is a very strange plot that you have woven, Elrohir!^

^Aye. In the course of trying to learn more about her, I fell in love with her, more deeply, perhaps, than I have ever loved before. But I have attempted to put aside my feelings for her, after witnessing the kiss in the birch grove. She would not have allowed Elladan to do such a thing if she did not love him.^

^But she did not know it was you whom she had been speaking to her,^ Aragorn said gently. ^If she had known, then perhaps she would have resisted, and gone to you instead.^ He smiled then. ^And do not lose heart, not yet, at least. She is still…divided in her heart.^

Elrohir looked up suddenly, and it seemed there was a new spark of hope in his eyes. ^Are you certain of this. Estel?^

^Fairly certain,^ Aragorn answered. ^Camille has told me that Eli cannot quite decide whom she should choose, for she adores not one, but the both of you. However, Camille senses that her heart is weighted in your favor.^

Elrohir laughed. ^And how can she be certain of such a thing?^

^I am not sure,^ Aragorn replied thoughtfully. ^It is hard to guess how she has come to such a conclusion. But I trust her judgment in this.^ He smiled then, and got up. ^Do not lose hope yet, Elrohir. She may yet come to you.^

^I pray that you are right, Estel,^ whispered the Elf, and he turned his gaze up to the sky to watch the slow dance of the stars.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Heehee, I have fulfilled my promise! Told you Eli would get a sappy chapter all to herself!! Though so far, it seems that Aragorn and Camille have been meddling…hmm rubs chin thoughtfully, maybe I should try to keep them out of the next chapters as much as possible. Poor Elrohir!!! Why is it that I have to make these characters suffer the way they do? Because things actually get better in the later chaps! So keep on reading folks! Don't worry; this fic is slowly winding to its climax, and that means…THE END?!?!? But when it DOES end, I promise you folks that it will be beautiful! Ja ne!

P.S: Since my classes at University start soon, I will no longer be able to update as frequently as I used to. Now, I will only be able to post one chapter every week, two or three if I'm lucky. Oh, and by the by, if any of you readers out there are from the Philippines and are incoming freshmen in the College of Liberal Arts at De La Salle University, DO drop me a line, please! I'd like to know where and who you guys are. I'm a Lit Major, LR-39! Well, that's it for now. I'm sorry if I've caused any disappointment because of this announcement. See you!!


	41. Chapter Forty: Listen and Stay!

Chapter Forty: Listen and Stay! 

Legolas looked back for a moment at Eowyn as she stood before the doors of Meduseld, still and silent as a statue, ere they rode to the Paths of the Dead. _I feel pity for you, White Lady of Rohan, _he thought to himself. _If only you had not been born into a woman's body, then perhaps you would have made a great and valiant captain of the Rohirrim._

Through the gray morning they rode ever on, entering the shadows of Dwimorberg, the Haunted Mountain, in which lay the Paths of the Dead. Dread seemed to fall on the Men of their company, but it did not fall upon Legolas or on the sons of Elrond. Being the Elves that they were, they did not need to fear the ghosts of the dead. They came to the Dimholt, and there under the gloom of black trees that not even Legolas could long endure they found a hollow place opening at the mountain's root, and right in their path stood a single mighty stone like a finger of doom.

"The horses will not go past here," muttered one of the Rangers, and Legolas had to agree with him, for Arod was beginning to prance around uneasily.

"We must dismount and lead them around, then," Elrohir said, and he swiftly got off his horse, and whispered into the animal's ear. At first the horse nickered and shook its head as if in refusal, but when Elrohir lightly touched the creature on the neck, it calmed down, suffered itself to be led around the rock. Elladan imitated his brother's actions, and soon he and his horse were behind the rock.

Aragorn sighed, and gently tugged the bridle of Roheryn, leading the horse forward. Behind him followed the rest of the Dunedain and their horses. Behind them followed Camille and Blackwing, and then Eli and Whitewing. 

Once everyone had gotten around the boulder, Legolas himself dismounted, and leaned close to Arod's ear. ^Come now, old friend^, he whispered, ^we must keep going. We cannot stop now.^

Arod snorted, and walked forward hesitantly, giving the rock a wide berth.

"My blood runs chill," muttered Gimli from where he still sat on Arod's back. 

Legolas sighed. "Do not worry, friend Gimli, you are not alone in feeling such, though I do not feel any fear."

They came at last deep into the glen; and there stood a sheer wall of rock, and in the wall the Dark Door gaped before them like the mouth of night. Signs and figures were carved above its wide arch too dim to read, and fear flowed from it like a gray vapor.

There was a sharp intake of breath from someone ahead of him, and when Legolas turned to look, he noticed that Eli was trembling visibly, her face horribly pale and her eyes wide. _What has happened to her? _

It was only then that Legolas remembered what Camille had told Aragorn about Eli the day before. He then remembered that Eli had the capacity to see the spirits of the dead, feel their presence, and hear their voices. However, this did not come without a price, for if the presence of the dead becomes too overwhelming, she would lose consciousness, and be lost to the land of shadows forever.

Camille approached Eli then, and placed an arm around her shoulder. "Shhh, it's going to be okay, Eli," she whispered to her friend, soothing her. "We're going to make it out of here just fine. Just ignore them."

Eli smirked, though it was half-hearted, and lacking her usual confidence. "Hah, you wouldn't find that so easy to say if you could actually FEEL what I can feel, SEE what I can see, and HEAR what I can hear."

"Tell us then," Elrohir said in a soft, pleading voice. "If it will help you take your mind off of it, then please, tell us."

Eli swallowed, and wrapped her arms around herself, as if to ward off some sort of chill. "Their voices are everywhere…crying out, screaming like they're being tortured. I can hear swords clashing, and battle cries, and the sound of horns blaring left and right. I can't see anything right now, but I can feel them, and hear them." She shivered. "It's cold, so very, very cold…"

"Ignore them," Camille said. "Block them out. Think of something else. Sing a song in your head, if you have to, the most cheerful song you can think of. It might help."

Eli smiled wanly, and nodded. "Yeah, that might help." And with that silence fell once more.

"This is an evil door," Halbarad said quietly, "and my death lies beyond it. I will dare to pass it nonetheless; but no horse will enter."

"But we must go in, and therefore the horses must go too," said Aragorn. "For if ever we come through this darkness, many leagues lie beyond, and every hour that is lost there will bring the triumph of Sauron nearer. Follow me!"

Then Aragorn led the way, and such was the strength of his will in that hour that all the Dunedain and their horses followed him. And indeed the love that the horses of the Rangers bore for their riders was so great that they were willing to face even the terror of the Door, if their masters' hearts were steady as they walked beside them. The same could be said of Blackwing and Whitewing, sisters of Shadowfax. Whitewing displayed much concern for her new mistress, as she often nuzzled Eli in the neck or in the shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

But Arod was an entirely different matter. Arod refused the way, and he stood sweating and trembling in a fear that was grievous to see. Legolas sighed. _I pity him for his fear, but neither can I blame him for it. _With this thought in mind, he laid his hands on Arod's eyes and began to sing softly, until the horse suffered himself to be led, and Legolas passed in.

*      *      *

Aragorn held the torch in his hand aloft, seeking to shed some light on the gloomy corners and shadows of the road they now had to take. There was nothing ahead that brought worry to him, and judging from the near-silence of his companions, nothing that should worry him from behind. 

He glanced back a moment, and began to regret ever deciding to bring Eli with him to this dreadful place. _I should have just left her in Meduseld, _he raged. _Though she may not have liked it, I would rather face her anger than see her in such a state. _

And it was indeed quite a pitiful state that Eli was in. She had pulled her cape close around her to ward off the chill, and she was singing softly under her breath, an attempt to keep out the spirits that she could surely hear, sense and see even then.

At that moment, the path they had been following seemed to widen, and to Aragorn it felt like they were standing in a great empty space, and there were no longer any walls upon either side. The dread in the air was suddenly more palpable than ever before, and from the back, he heard Eli's soft whimper, and the music of her voice growing just a little louder. 

_But we cannot turn back, _he told himself as he lifted his torch higher to shed more light on the surrounding area. _We are too far away to turn back; we must go forward. I only pray that she may make it out of this alive and well. _To his left, the glitter of gold caught his eye, and he curiously approached it, the rest of the Company following behind him.

Aragorn knelt down, and when Elladan came closer, he handed the Elf his torch so that he may bear both aloft and give more light to see with. Before him were the bones of a mighty man. He had been clad in mail, and still his harness lay there whole; for the cavern's air was as dry as dust, and his hauberk was gilded. His belt was of gold and garnets, and rich with gold was the helm upon is bony head face downward on the floor. He had fallen near the far wall of the cave, as now could be seen, and before him stood a stony door closed fast; his finger-bones were still clawing at the cracks. A notched and broken sword lay by him, as if he had hewn at the rock in his last despair.

Eli uttered a soft cry then, making Aragorn glance at her. She seemed to be staring at something – or someone – who was standing just over Aragorn's shoulder. She shook her head, and started backing away. "He died of fright…" she whispered, "because he felt the ghosts coming all around him, freezing him to death from the inside out. He was…he was just like me. He could see them like I could, and he could feel them too. They chilled him with fear till he died." And her eyes became dull, and a strange chant emerged from her lips…

_Estuans interius _

_Ira vehementi_

_Estuans interius, _

_Ira vehementi_

_Sephiroth _

_Sephiroth_

"Burning inside

With violent anger,

Burning inside

With violent anger,

Sephiroth

Sephiroth"

Camille ran over to her side, and shook her best friend. "Eli, stop singing that! Sing something else!" And with that, she started another song, which in tone and theme was entirely different from the one Eli was chanting…

_Alone for a while I've been searching through the dark_

_For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart_

_To weave by picking up the pieces that remain_

_Melodies of life - love's lost refrain_

Eli blinked slowly, and shook her head, as if clearing out certain unpleasant thoughts. She swallowed hard, and she continued the next stanza of the song…

_Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why_

_We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye_

_And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?_

_Let them ring out loud till they unfold_

_In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me_

_Though you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name…_

Their voices blended together, chasing away the darkness of the cavern and bringing comfort to those who listened…

_A voice from the past, joining yours and mine_

_Adding up the layers of harmony_

_And so it goes, on and on_

_Melodies of life,_

_To the sky beyond the flying birds - forever and beyond_

_So far and away, see the bird as it flies by _

_Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky _

_I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings _

_Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings_

_In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?_

_Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind?_

_A voice from the past, joining yours and mine_

_Adding up the layers of harmony_

_And so it goes, on and on_

_Melodies of life,_

_To the sky beyond the flying birds - forever and beyond_

_If I should leave this lonely world behind_

_Your voice will still remember our melody_

_Now I know we'll carry on_

_Melodies of life_

_Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts_

_As long as we remember_

Eli bent her head, and shivered again. Camille put her arms around her in a hug. "It's going to be okay Eli. We're all going to be okay. We're going to get out of here and the ghosts aren't going to bother you ever again."

Aragorn stood up, and sighed. _Yes, we must move on. We cannot remain here for much longer, or we risk losing Eli to the spirits. _"Hither shall the flowers of simbelmyne come never unto world's end," he murmured. "Nine mounds and seven there are now green with grass, and through all the long years he has lain at the door that he could not unlock. Whither does it lead? Why would he pass? None shall ever know!"

"For that is not my errand!" he cried, turning back and speaking to the whispering darkness behind. "Keep your hoards and your secrets hidden in the Accursed Years! Speed only we ask! Let us pass, and then come! I summon you to the Stone of Erech!"

*      *      *

Eli shivered beneath her cape and clothes, her body pierced by a cold that came not from the outside, but from within. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the presence of the ghosts who were following from her mind. She did as Camille told her to do: sing in her head, or under her breath, to keep the thought of them away from her. _After all, the lesser time they are on my mind, the better. _As they started off again, she began to sing another song under her breath…

_Wishing on a dream that seems far off_

_Hoping it will come today._

_Into the starlit night,_

_Foolish dreamers turn their gaze,_

_Waiting on a shooting star._

_But, what if that star is not to come?_

_Will their dreams fade to nothing?_

_When the horizon darkens most,_

_We all need to believe there is hope. _

She felt a presence come up from behind her, and she sensed that it wasn't a ghost, but it wasn't Camille either. But now she didn't really want to think about it. _And besides, I could use a little company…even if it's one of the twins. _And she went on singing…

_Is an angel watching closely over me?_

_Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?_

_I know my heart should guide me, but,_

_There's a hole within my soul._

_What will fill this emptiness inside of me?_

_Am I to be satisfied without knowing?_

_I wish, then, for a chance to see,_

_Now all I need, desperately_

_Is my star to come…_

And then another voice sounded in her ear. It wasn't the voice of one of the ghosts, because it didn't sound cold or dead, but it was actually warm and comforting. But what got to her was that the singer was male, and the voice was familiar…

_Though the stars be few this night,_

_My star is always within thy sight,_

_Look upon my star to ease thine sorrow_

_Believe in the hope of thy tomorrow._

Eli turned to look, and saw Elrohir smiling down at her in comfort. He placed an arm around her, and drew her close to him. ^Be at ease, Elisarien,^ he whispered. ^We shall be over this soon. I will protect you from whatever may happen, I swear it!^

By now Eli was too tired to argue, and just accepted his company. _And we still have a long way to go. _But she didn't resist him, and she did not push away the arm he had draped over her shoulders. It felt rather comforting, to have Elrohir watching over her.

They kept on walking, but Eli had lost all sense of time in the darkness. She didn't know for how many hours they had been walking in the darkness, but she didn't really care. _All I want to do is get out of here. _She shivered slightly when she remembered that the dead were following just behind. The chill grew stronger when she thought of them, and she forcefully diverted her thoughts from them to something else. 

PLINK!!

Eli jerked up the moment she heard the sound. _What was that?! _

PLINK, PLOP, PLINK!

She smiled, and shook her head. "Jeez, it was just drops of water falling into a pool!"

She felt, rather than saw, Elrohir nod. "Aye, you are right. We are nearing the exit now, Elisarien. Soon this dreadful night shall be over for you, and you may rest easy."

_How can he say that, _Eli wondered. But up ahead, light grew, and lo! The company passed through another gateway, high-arched and broad, and a rill ran down beside them; and beyond, going steeply down, was a road between sheer cliffs, knife-edged against the sky far above. The chasm was so deep and narrow that when Eli looked up, she could only see tiny pinpoints of light like stars twinkling down at her. "Have we been walking around in there for so long that it's nighttime already?"

Elrohir shook his head. "Nay, evening has not come yet. It is still two hours ere the sun sets into the far west. But this valley is very deep, and the cliffs so high, that only those tiny pinpricks of light are able to filter down to where we are now."

"Really?" Eli murmured. She shook her head. "If that's the case, then I don't want to see what it's like here at night."

Aragorn turned to them then. "Come my friends, we shall ride this time." So saying he got onto Roheryn, and proceeded to go ahead of them at a comfortable trot. The rest of the Rangers followed suit, and they were soon on their way.

Eli approached Whitewing, and was greeted with a gentle nudge on the neck. Eli laughed softly, and patted the mare's neck. "Thanks for being so patient with me, Whitewing. I know you're scared, but thanks for putting up with my being even more scared than you."

Whitewing nickered, and nipped her mistress gently on the shoulder in reassurance. Eli had to laugh at that gesture as she mounted, and grasped the reins in her hands. They no longer shook with fright, and seemed quite steady. With a soft click of the tongue and a gentle kick of the heels, Whitewing trotted off after the rest of the company.

It wasn't long before they reached the end of the ravine. Eli sat blinking at the feeling of sunshine on her face, feeling pleasantly warmed and comforted. _Better to face ghosts while outdoors and after you've had sunshine on your face, than to deal with them in a dark, dank, stuffy cave. _Even as she sat there the sun dipped into the western horizon, and the twilight blanketed all.

Without even turning to them, Aragorn cried aloud so all could hear: "Friends, forget your weariness! Ride now, ride! We must come to the Stone of Erech ere this day passes, and long still is the way!" 

Eli snorted as she spurred Whitewing into a fast gallop. _What's the rush, Aragorn? It's like the devil himself was at your heels. _She turned to look over her shoulder, and gulped. A veritable ghost army was following after them, tattered banners floating in the air, spears and swords that no longer existed glimmering in an otherworldly light. She shook her head, and turned away. _Keep your thoughts on anything but THAT, Eli. Anything but THAT._

And so the Gray Company passed over the mountain-fields, until they came to a bridge over the growing torrent and found a road that led down into the land.

By now it was night, and the stars were flickering in and out of the darkness overhead. Eli looked around, and noticed that doors and shutters were pulled closed with bangs and thuds as they passed. She blinked with surprise. _Eh? What's going on? _

But it was none of her concern now. The Gray Company rode on, like hunters on a strong trail, until most of the horses save for Blackwing and Whitewing were stumbling with weariness. They were sisters of Shadowfax, Lord of Horses, and they were not easily wearied like the mounts of the others. 

As night deepened, Eli looked ahead, and noticed that they were now drawing closer and closer to a hill. Upon the crest of the hill was a strange object. It looked like a huge cannonball about the height of a man, but half of it was sunk into the ground beneath it. As they drew closer she could feel the presence of the ghosts grow stronger, and she knew that they had come to their gathering-spot. She breathed deeply and slowly, trying to keep herself calm. _Nothing will work if I panic now. I just have to believe that this will be all over soon. _

They stopped when they reached the hill, and their company dismounted, climbing up to the crest where the stone was. Once they reached the top, Elrohir gave to Aragorn a silver horn, and he blew upon it, the sound echoing off all the nearby hills and mountains.

There was silence for a moment, but then, Eli could soon hear the sound of a mighty army coming closer. The chill increased in her body, and she considered merely closing her eyes so as not to see what she knew was coming, but she knew it wouldn't do her any good. She lifted her gaze, and before her, around the foot of the hill, stretched a great and mighty army. Or what was ONCE a mighty army; they were all ghosts that had come up to the hill. A cold wind blew over the hill, and Eli shivered. Elrohir reached out, and put his arm around her again in reassurance.

Then, Aragorn stood by the Stone, and cried in a loud voice: "Oathbreakers, why have ye come?"  
  


Eli heard a strange clamor rise from the gathered ghost army. A loud voice then echoed back to them in reply – or at least it sounded loud to ELI'S ears. "To fulfill our oath and have peace."

Then Aragorn said: "The hour is come at last. Now I go to Pelargir upon Anduin, and ye shall come after me. And when all this land is clean of the servants of Sauron, I will hold the oath fulfilled, and ye shall have peace and depart forever. For I am Elessar, Isildur's heir of Gondor."

Eli watched as Aragorn signaled to Halbarad, who then unfurled the big staff-like thing that he had brought with him from the North. She watched as it uncurled and flowed in the breeze of the night. It was completely black, but apart from that she couldn't see anything on it, because the darkness was too thick for her to see properly. And then all fell silent, even the ghost army that had gathered around the hill. 

The Company camped beside the Stone, but they slept little, Eli least of all, because of the dread of the Shadows that hedged them round.

In the wee hours before dawn, Eli was still sitting up and staring at the ghastly gathering when Camille approached her from where she was lying, and sat down beside her. "Can't sleep, can you?"

Eli shook her head, and grinned sarcastically. "Actually I WAS sleeping. It feels so safe and comfortable when you've got around a thousand ghosts camped around your little hill, you know."

Camille chuckled at her sarcasm. "Yeah, whatever." She focused her gaze towards the army, and her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you can actually see an army? All I can see is a thin veil of mist."

"Oh, woe to those who have an untrained eye," Eli said with a roll of the eyes. She became serious again, and breathed in and out slowly. "They're there. You just don't see them. And neither do Aragorn and the rest of the Rangers. Elladan and Elrohir can see them, but not as clearly as I can."

Camille nodded. "Legolas says he can see them too, but as if they were shrouded in fog." She giggled then. "Gimli was pretty much freaked out for most of today."

Eli cocked an eyebrow. "Eh? Why?"

"I wouldn't really know. I guess he isn't used to feeling all this supernatural energy all the time," Camille replied with a shrug, and then an evil grin spread on her face. "You remember the time when we saw that skeleton in the hall?"

_All too well, _Eli thought with a shiver. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, seeing the thing was bad enough, but when you started singing 'One-Winged Angel'…that just got to him. He was all ready to bolt out of there and run all the way back to Meduseld! On his own two feet, if he had to!" Camille answered, attempting to stifle her laughter as she spoke.

Eli snorted, and doubled over to muffle her laughter. A mental image of Gimli running away, screaming his head off and leaving a little dust trail like in the cartoons popped into her head. "Oh jeez, that is one HELL of a mental picture! What do you think got to him, in particular?"

Camille shrugged again. "I wouldn't know, really. Maybe it was the skeleton and then you saying you could see its owner, or maybe the fact that you were singing in Latin with a tone and voice that could scare anyone out of their wits. Then again, it could have been all of them at the same time."

"Poor Gimli," Eli said with a shake of her head. "I think I'm going to have to apologize to him sometime. I didn't think I'd traumatize him THAT badly."

"Apologize, but don't promise to not do it again. I mean, from now on it'll be SO easy to play a prank on him! Just pretend that you can see a ghost hovering over his shoulder, then start singing 'One Winged Angel' or 'Liberi Fatali'. It'll work like a charm, I swear!"

Eli grinned, and was about to add her own details to the plan, but then the rest of the Company stirred. The dawn had come, cold and pale, and they had to continue on their way. She sighed. _Looks like we're going to move on again. _

They rode the entire day and night, not stopping once to rest. The Shadow Host pressed on behind them, hovering in the air behind, ever oppressive and disconcerting. The towns they passed through were completely deserted; the men had gone to war while those who were left fled to the hills upon hearing the rumor of the arrival of the King of the Dead.

On the next day the Gray Company passed into the Storm of Mordor, the Dead following behind them.

And on that day, there was no dawn to greet them.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hoo-wee, wrapped this one up! Uh, as you can probably tell, I went on a song-addition spree: three or four songs in one chapter! Anyway, here are the credits: first song (the one with Latin) is "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy VII. Second song is "Melodies of Life" from Final Fantasy IX. Third song is "Luna's Boat Song" from Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete. There was mention here of the song "Liberi Fatali", which is from Final Fantasy VIII. However, I didn't put "One-Winged Angel" in full, and the verse that Elrohir sang to Eli is completely my own creation. ANYWAY, on to the next chapter! This is going to be HARD to write, as it was only told in flashback-version in ROTK, but I will try my best to capture it in my own way. This is the battle that was not completely chronicled in "The Lord of the Rings": the Battle for the Havens of Pelargir. So how does it go? Read on to find out!


	42. Chapter Forty-one: The Battle of the Hav...

Chapter Forty-One: The Battle of the Havens of Pelargir 

Camille leaned forward against Blackwing's neck in an attempt to increase speed. They had been riding hard from the Stone of Erech for three whole days now, and they were moving on into the fourth. _How long is it till we get to the Havens at Pelargir?! _She took a momentary glance at Eli, and noticed that her best friend was doing pretty well, considering the fact that there were ghosts just behind them.

But Aragorn did not call a halt for any reason, not even to rest. And though it was quite taxing for them, particularly for Eli, no one complained about it at all. They understood perfectly why he was rushing them. Behind them, the Shadow Host followed; though Camille couldn't see them, she felt their presence vaguely as a slight chill in the air.

They were coming to the uplands of Lamedon, and it was here that the Shadow Host managed to overtake them. Eli let out a muffled scream as she buried her face against Whitewing's neck. All around Camille, there was a swirl of mist, and the chill in the air increased.

"SOMEONE STOP THEM!!" Eli cried as she gripped onto Whitewing's back. Sensing her mistress' distress, Whitewing neighed, and stomped both front hooves on the ground to gain Aragorn's attention.

Instantly Aragorn halted, and turned his horse to her. As Camille looked on, Elrohir appeared at Eli's side, and attempted to soothe her. Camille urged Blackwing towards Eli, and she reached out to touch her best friend on the back. "Shhh, it's going to be okay Eli…it's going to be okay…" She lifted her head, and glanced at Aragorn. "Tell the Shadow Host to stop, and not to go ahead of us!"

Aragorn nodded, and cried, "Oathbreakers, stay back! Do not venture to overtake our Company! Your presence causes harm to one of my companions, and I shall not allow you to come any closer than necessary!"

Eli screamed again, and covered her ears. "STOP THEM, STOP THEM!! I DON'T WANT TO GO WITH THEM!! ARAGORN, PLEASE!!!"

"Leave her be!" Aragorn commanded as he urged Roheryn to come closer to Whitewing. Placing an arm around the still-trembling Eli, he looked towards the supposedly empty space behind their group. "Leave her be, Oathbreakers! You have no right to claim this girl for your own! She was never yours to take, and never will be! Do not presume that you may take her from us, for I and my companions shall never consent!"

There was a soft whispering in the air around her, and Camille felt the chill lessen slowly. She glanced at Eli, and noticed that she was starting to relax, and her breathing evened out. _Phew, that was a little TOO close for my liking. _

Aragorn shook his head as he let Eli go. He leaned closer to Camille, and whispered, "I believe she should ride in the front with me and the rest of the Dunedain. She is safer there."

"I know," Camille replied with a nod. "I was about to suggest the same thing." She glanced over her shoulder at Elladan and Elrohir, then added, "But keep the twins with her. They're Elves, and they can see if the ghosts are coming to get her again or not. They can warn you in time."

"I understand," Aragorn replied with a nod, and he drifted off towards the back to speak with Elladan and Elrohir. After a few moments, the twins and Aragorn led their horses towards the front of the Company, Eli and Whitewing between them.

Camille sighed wearily as she looked on at Eli. _Well at least she's going to be fine up there with Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir. They'll keep her safe. _

Legolas and Gimli trotted up beside her on Arod. "Is she alright?" asked the Dwarf.  
  


"Yeah, she'll be okay," Camille replied with a sigh. "As long as she stays up front with Aragorn and the twins, I don't think the ghosts will dare approach her."

Legolas nodded slowly. "That is good, then. Elladan and Elrohir will keep her safe."

They rode on, pressing ever onwards, aiming for the Havens of Pelargir. They had crossed the rivers Cirith and Ringlo, and at last came to Linhir above the mouth of Gilrain. As they approached, Camille heard, from faraway, the sounds of arms clashing, and the smell of blood and smoke drifted to her nostrils from the distance. Her eyes widened. _A battle! _

"There is fighting ahead!" Elladan announced. "The men of Lamedon are forced to contest with the fell folk of Umbar and Harad!"

Legolas shook his head at the mention of that. "They must have come up from the river, then."

Aragorn drew Anduril from the sheath with a ringing sound. "Forward!" he cried. "To the aid of the men of Lamedon!"

There was a resounding cry of agreement from the Company, and they charged forward. Camille strung her bow, and nocked an arrow in readiness. "Come on Blackwing, we've got some fighting to do!"

Blackwing neighed, and tossed her head, scenting battle before her. She charged alongside the other horses of the Company, a swift-passing shadow across the fields.

It didn't take them long to reach the site of the skirmish. The men of Lamedon were starting to falter, and they were ready to make on last, desperate stand against their foes, who hemmed them in from all sides. Camille, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir lifted their bows, pulled the strings taut, aimed, and shot. Their arrows found their marks, felling four of the Haradrim at once.

Their strikes were the first in many in the battle that quickly ensued. Both friend and foe fled before them, for the fear of the Shadow Host followed them everywhere. The Gray Company routed the men of Umbar and Harad, sending them flying and screaming. The members of the Gray Company were untouched, for the skills of their enemies were not enough to match their own. But many of the Haradrim had fallen in the battle, their bodies littering the ground and staining the soil beneath them a violent shade of red.

When the fighting was done, and Lamedon was freed at last from the invasion, Camille looked about, searching for her arrows. As she picked her way past the bodies, she saw that several bore the marks of a katana slicing through them. She grinned. _Eli. _

It was at that time that a strange man came forth. "We thank you, mighty lords and…ladies," he said the last part hesitantly, casting a glance at Eli and Camille, "for coming to our aid when we needed it most. I am Angbor, Lord of Lamedon."

Aragorn nodded. "Your gratitude is accepted, Lord Angbor. Now I have a favor to ask of you."

"You need only to ask, and if it is within my power, it shall be given to you willingly," Angbor replied with a bow.

"My request is this: gather together all the men who are still able to fight, and come behind us, if you dare. At Pelargir the Heir of Isildur will have need of you," said Aragorn, and before Angbor could even form a reply, he was already ahead of the Company, leading them onwards.

"Come, let us depart!" he called. "We only have a few days more to travel till we reach Pelargir, and we shall drive the hosts of Mordor before us to the sea!"

And so they rode. The allies of Mordor were fleeing in rout before them, until they crossed the river Gilrain. It was then that, weariness catching up at last, Aragorn called for a momentary halt.

Camille dismounted from Blackwing, letting the mare out to graze while she still could. _Got to check up on Eli. _She passed through the makeshift camp of the Dunedain, and approached the spot where Aragorn was sitting, polishing Anduril to remove the blood of those he had slain. "Where's Eli?"

Aragorn looked up at her, and nodded his head towards a more quiet area of the camp. "She should be over there with the sons of Elrond. They are helping her to recuperate from the onslaught of the Shadow Host." His face took on a grim frown. "We must be more careful from now on. Their presence is starting to wear her out."

"I know, I know," Camille answered with a nod. She sighed, and slumped down beside him wearily. "I'm starting to feel scared for her," she confided. "Sometimes I think that we should've done it your way and left her with Merry in Meduseld."

Aragorn shook his head, and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "No, do not regret what can no longer be undone. Fate had a reason, perhaps, as to why we were allowed to commit this mistake, and it will be evinced later on." He smiled at her then. "Do not worry, she is in good hands. Elrohir and Elladan will take care of her. Now go! I believe a certain Elf-prince is looking for you."

Camille rolled her eyes as she got up. _Some things just never change. _With that thought in mind, she got up, and went over to Legolas.

*      *      *

Eli leaned back against her pack, closing her eyes and rubbing her head slowly to ease out the soreness she felt there. _This has definitely NOT been my day. _

She sensed a familiar presence kneel down to her right, and moments later, a cup was placed in her hand by long, slender fingers. A voice spoke in her ear. "Here, drink this. It will help ease the chill."

Without bothering to open her eyes, Eli clasped the cup, and lifted it to her lips. A warm liquid met her skin, and slid into her mouth. It tasted vaguely sweet, but bitter at the same time. _Ugh._ She grimaced at the taste, and opened her eyes a crack to gaze upon gleaming silver eyes framed by dark hair. "Okay, don't make me guess anymore, as my headache won't allow for that. Which twin are you?"

The being beside her chuckled softly, and replied, "It is I, Elladan."

_Oh great. _Eli opened her eyes more fully, and forced a smile onto her lips. "Elladan. When was the last time I got to speak with you?"

"Many moons ago, before you left for this quest," Elladan answered. He leaned forward slightly, a smile curving his lips. ^It has been long since I last beheld you, my love. Much too long. Your visage dances through my dreams, teasing me, tantalizing me, and when I wake, you are gone, melting away into the night as all dreams do. I wished to spend as much time as I could in slumber if only to catch a glimpse of you again, but I have many duties that need to be fulfilled.

^But here you are now, real, and within my reach. This is no vision that I see, but flesh and blood.^ He twined a lock of her hair around his finger, smiling. ^Yes, this is indeed real: the same silken hair,^ he brushed a knuckle against her cheek, ^the same satin-soft skin,^ he cupped her cheek in his palm, ^and, dare I hope, the same sweet lips that I captured but once before…^ He leaned closer to her, and Eli closed her eyes, mind whirling again. And only one word managed to make itself clear in the middle of the maelstrom of her thoughts, _Elrohir…_

It was as if a sharp, stinging slap had been delivered across her face. Eli jerked back, gasping, making Elladan move away from her as well, his face showing his concern. ^Eli? Is something the matter?^

Eli gulped, and tried to steady her voice in reply. ^I…I don't really know…^ She groaned again, and rubbed her head. _Damn it, why was it Elrohir's name that came into my head when Elladan was about to kiss me?! _

_It's because you don't want ELLADAN to kiss you, but ELROHIR, _her heart whispered snidely.

Her mind was quick to retort. _Nonsense! If you allowed Elladan to kiss you before, then HE'S the one you love! _

_But how can you be so sure that it's Elladan you're in love with, _her heart threw back.

_Because you LET him kiss you!!_

_Just because a man – or Elf, in this case – gives you your first kiss doesn't mean that he's the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. _

_But if you go around and say, "Hey Elladan, I think that kiss was wrong or something," then you risk breaking his heart! You're going to hurt him, Eli! Is that what you want to do?!_

At that, Eli shook her head, and simply downed the rest of the weird-tasting tea that Elladan had given her. Whatever it was, it brought a bit of warmth back to her body, and made the presence of the Shadow Host just a bit more tolerable.

It was then that Aragorn stood up from where he had been resting. "Lo! Already Minas Tirith is assailed. I feat that it will fall ere we come to its aid."

Eli sighed, and got up, pointedly ignoring Elladan as she went in search of Whitewing. Not that she need to take long to find her mount. She sighed as she gently stroked Whitewing's neck. "What do you do when two Elves are in love with you, Whitewing?"

Whitewing nickered, and shifted her head to imitate a shrug. Eli laughed at this reaction, and answered, "Yeah, I know you wouldn't know anything about it. I just had to voice that question out." With that, she got into her saddle, and trotted over to Aragorn. She smiled at the heir of Isildur. "So, are we going?"

Aragorn smiled, and nodded. He signaled to the rest of the Company, and soon, they were off. Soon they were thundering over the fields of Lebennin, hot on the heels of allies of Mordor.

Beside her, she heard Elrohir sigh. "The fields of Lebennin were once green and fair. Here once one could find spreading fields of wildflowers, and lilies, and blooms of mallos and alfirin. Here once the Gilrain ran in bright silver streams, feeding all the life that grew here. But now all is dry and barren." He shook his head. "Great and grievous indeed is the power of the Dark Lord in Mordor, if he should be able to cause the green fields of Lebennin to wither as they have."

Through the day they rode, and through the night as well, until at last they came to the end of the Great River. Eli could now smell the salt of the sea as it wafted to her on the breeze, along with the sharp squawking of seagulls. She smiled. _The sea smells the same wherever you go, and the gulls sound the same too. _She looked back at Camille to see her reaction, but it wasn't her best friend that caught her attention. It was Legolas.

Eli blinked. _Huh? _She looked at the Elf, and noticed that he seemed to have blanked out. _Eh? What's the matter with him? _"Legolas, are you okay back there?"

Legolas snapped out of his reverie immediately, and blinked, looking at her. He shook his head then, and nodded. "Aye, I am fine, Eli."

_Oh, SUUURE you are, _Eli thought to herself, but didn't press the issue. A strange new scent tickled her nostrils, and she nearly gagged. _Smoke! There's something burning up ahead! _

As if in response to that, she heard a cry come up from Aragorn. "The Havens are up ahead! The Haradrim seem to be burning their ships and preparing for battle." Once more, Anduril flashed from the sheath, and Aragorn pointed it towards the direction of the Havens. "Forward! To battle and war!"

The Company yelled their assent, and soon they were charging over the fields towards the Havens of Pelargir. As they drew closer, Eli could see just what kind of force they would have to deal with. _Uh oh…_ A majority of the Haradrim that they had encountered in Lamedon had managed to make it back to the Havens, and had warned their comrades about their approach. The host was now gathered on the shoreline, and in the background were great black ships, their black sails furled but ready to be loosed at any moment. All along the coast, there was a great burning of the smaller craft, black like the rest of the fleet.

Suddenly, Aragorn drew to a halt, and all halted with him. He turned to Eli, and there was a strange urgency in his eyes. "Eli, go to Elladan and Elrohir now. They will keep you safe."

Eli blinked. "Wha? Aragorn, why-"

Aragorn shook his head. "You shall find out later why I say this. Go!" 

Realizing that there was no point in arguing with him right now, Eli did as she was told, and positioned Whitewing so that she stood between the stallions of the twins. She watched as Aragorn moved forward slightly so that he stood at the forefront of the Company. _I wonder what he'll do? _

Just then, he raised his hand, and cried in a loud voice: "Now come! By the Black Stone I call you!"

The clamor from the Shadow Host rose in Eli's ears, and she whimpered, knowing immediately why Aragorn had told her to join the twins. _He was going to call on the Ghost Army to attack for him! _She bent forward, shielding her face against Whitewing's neck as the Shadow Host went past her. A few moments later, she felt a pair of warm arms clasping her tightly around the waist, and a cloak fell around her again, the scent of the forest pervading her senses. _Elrohir…_

But the chill was too great to bear. She cried out against it, the sound muffled by Whitewing's neck. She could feel her energy draining out of her bit by bit, as the ghosts pressed on ahead. Far away, she could hear the sounds of screaming, and the sound of splashing as the Haradrim, terrified by the onslaught of the Shadow Host, cast themselves into the sea and drowned.

_Screams…_ Eli thought. _Screams of madness…_ And then she lost consciousness totally.

*      *      *

Elrohir flew into a panic when he felt Eli's body go limp in his arms. _No, it cannot be! _He checked her wrist for a pulse, and found it, but it was weak, much too weak. He turned to Aragorn, dread flying swiftly through his veins. "Aragorn! We must get Eli away from the Shadow Host now! She has lost consciousness!"

"What?!" Elrohir heard the thud of a horse's hooves coming up from behind him, and Camille came up beside him. "Here, let me take a look." She came up between Eli and himself, and took a look at her friend. After a few moments, she uttered a soft, "Damn!" and turned to Aragorn. "Aragorn, she isn't looking too good! We should get her to the ships, at least!"

Nodding in response, Aragorn turned to the Dunedain, and started firing directions at them. It wasn't long before one member of the Dunedain was manning each of the ships, while Aragorn claimed the greatest ship of the fleet for himself. Elrohir, Elladan, Camille, Eli, Legolas and Gimli boarded this ship, along with their horses.

Elrohir held onto Eli as he got onto the ship, willing her to stay alive. _Oh Iluvatar, _he prayed, _please, I beg of you, keep Elisabeth's life! Do not send her yet to that place where those born of the race of Men go to when they die! Mandos, I pray that you do not pass your judgment upon her yet! It is too soon for her to die! And I love her still… _

His thoughts were cut short when a great concourse of trumpets was sounded. He looked up, and watched as the Shadow Host withdrew to the shore. Almost immediately, he felt Eli inhale a sharp gasp, and her pulse quicken slightly.

"Hear now the words of the Heir of Isildur!" said Aragorn in a loud voice to the Shadow Host. "Your oath is fulfilled. Go back and trouble not the valleys ever again! Depart and be at rest!"

Elrohir watched with growing amazement as the King of the Dead stood out before the host and broke his spear and cast it down. Then he bowed low and turned away; and swiftly the whole gray host drew on and vanished like a mist that is driven back by a sudden wind. He blinked to clear his vision. _It feels as though I have walked in a dream. _

"How does she fare?" Aragorn asked then as he drew closer to him, peering at Eli who lay still in his arms. 

Elrohir shook his head. "I know not. She is breathing still, and her pulse seems to have returned to normal, but I am not certain when she will awaken."

"Let's bring her down below," Camille piped up then as she appeared by Aragorn's elbow. "That little run-in won't do any good things for her, I'm sure."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Eep! What's happened to Eli THIS time?! Two words: NOT GOOD!! Oh yeah, and…hehe, now it's Elladan's turn! But either way, those two aren't going to get another kiss from Eli…yet! Who will be able to score the final and decisive one? That's for me to know and for you to find out! Keep on reading people! Ciao!!


	43. Chapter Forty-two: From Nightmares to Dr...

Chapter Forty-Two: From Nightmares to Dreams to Waking Hours 

Camille bit her lip as she looked on at Eli, who was writhing and twisting in the bed. _She's having a very, very bad dream. _She cursed. _Damn, I KNEW that those ghosts weren't going to leave without messing her mind somehow! _

The door of the cabin opened with a creak then. "How does she fare, Camille?"

Camille looked over her shoulder, and saw a dark-haired, gray-eyed Elf approach her. _Elrohir. _She knew it for a certainty, since she had seen Elladan go to bed after supper. Elves might not have needed sleep as frequently as mortals did, but they certainly had to sleep SOME time! She sighed as she turned from the Elf, to look again at Eli. "I don't think she's doing too well. She's getting caught up in a nightmare of some sort that the ghosts left in her head when they passed by."

Elrohir grimaced, and shook his head. "Why must it be so?!" he wondered as he rubbed his forehead with his long fingers.

"I don't know," Camille said wearily, "I don't really know." They sat together in silence for a long while, watching as Eli twisted again in her sleep, and a low moan escaping her lips. After a moment, Camille spoke, "Hey Elrohir, do you love Eli?"

The Elf seemed to have been caught off-guard by that question, because his reply was rather hesitant. "How did you find that out?"

Camille shrugged. "I just kind of guessed it from the way you were acting before we left Rivendell and from the way you were acting these past few days since we met again." She looked up at him, eyeing him carefully. "So, do you?"

Elrohir was silent for a while, then he heaved a deep sigh, and answered, "Yes, yes I do, with all my heart and immortal life."

"Oh." _Legolas would have said the same thing about me. _At that thought, Camille giggled. When she noticed the strange look that Elrohir was giving her, she smiled, and said, "Sorry, I just had a thought."

"Would you care to share it with me?" Elrohir asked. "If it is something worth laughing about then perhaps it would help lift this gloomy spirit of mine."

"I was just thinking about what you said. I kind of thought that Legolas would have said the same thing about me before, if someone asked him the same question I asked you."

Finally Elrohir's frown lifted, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Aye, indeed, Legolas would have given the same response if someone had asked him that question. There is no doubting that he loves you. He would give up his immortal life for your sake. Aye, his is a pure and true love. He shall not falter in his love for you." He frowned then. "However, in quest of the love I wish to have, I must overcome a greater obstacle than any Legolas has had to face: my brother."

_And so we come at last to the topic I've always wanted to talk about, but never dared to bring up, _Camille thought wryly. "Want to elaborate on that?"

Elrohir sighed. "I assume that you have seen the kiss in the birch grove?"

"Like everyone else in Rivendell," Camille threw back with a grin. "That wasn't exactly a very private spot now, was it?"

"Nay, it was not," Elrohir replied with a grin and a shake of the head. "It is in full view of the balconies and the dining hall; it is the last place one could call 'private'."

Camille nodded. "Okay, I get the picture. You were saying?"

Elrohir nodded. "I was the one who first found Eli down by the banks of the Bruinen."

_Wait a minute, I smell something here. _"Just a second. Eli told me that it was ELLADAN who found her first."

A sad smile crossed Elrohir's face. "Aye. That is what I told her."

"Wait a minute, I'm confused!" Camille exclaimed, frustrated. "You're telling me that YOU found her by the Bruinen, but you told her that it was ELLADAN who did it. What's going on?"

"I…told that to Eli, so that my brother would have an advantage in courting her," the Elf replied slowly, as though he was about to say something that was rather troubling and weighed heavily on him. "When I saw the expression in Elladan's face the moment he beheld her, I knew that he was intending to pay court to her. And so I told Eli that it was Elladan who had found her by the river, and not I."

Camille raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I smell something suspicious here. There's something more to this. You'd better tell me now." _Or else you are SO going to get it from me. _

Elrohir stood up then, and turned away from her to look out of the little window that had been cut into the side of the ship. They were currently sailing over the River, the sound of the water lapping against the timbers of the vessel and the splashing of oars into the current were the only sounds that came to them. At long last, he answered, "When I learned that Elladan had fallen for her, I did everything I could to get them together. But, as you may well know, Eli does not take too easily to strangers. In light of this, I took it upon myself to make friends with her, but I often wore the guise of my brother."

Camille was frozen with shock. Her voice when she spoke was dangerously calm. "What?"

Elrohir winced. "I took the guise of my brother when speaking to her and befriending her. I made her believe that it was Elladan she was speaking to, and not myself."

"Why the HELL did you DO that?!" Camille hissed. She couldn't raise her voice because Eli was sleeping – well, most everyone on the ship was sleeping, save for the two of them and the oarsmen down below. She stomped over to the Elf, and glared at him. "Do you have any idea how much this is hurting Eli? Do you? Do you have any idea how many times she's been forced to choose between the two of you?! God, if you were only THERE during the trials of the Four Spirits! She was forced to choose between you and Elladan before Byakko finally gave her leave to use his power. Then Lady Galadriel – yes, your own grandmother – urged her to choose as quickly as she could. And it's hurting her because she can't make up her mind!"

Elrohir's face fell, and a look that Camille could only describe as extreme guilt appeared in his eyes as he gazed at Eli. "Indeed? Then my plot has done nothing but hurt her. Ah, if only I could turn back the hours to the day I conceived the plan! If I could, I would erase all thought of it from my mind, and never look back!"

"But there's nothing you can do about it, is there?" Camille asked, her voice edged with the fire of rage. _You bet it's too late, you idiot! You should've thought first before you did that!! _She turned away from him, irritated beyond relief. "And to think that she actually loved you."

The silence that followed that statement was stunning, filled in only by the lashing of the current and the splashing of the oars. At length, Elrohir spoke. "She loved me?"

"Yeah, like hell she did. The only problem is, you had to confuse her all the more because of that switching thing," Camille muttered. She looked up at him. "You were a good friend to her, you know that? And it made me feel so happy that Eli managed to find another person she could trust aside from me. It's very hard to get her to trust people, and even harder to make her fall in love with someone. So when I saw her and Elladan kissing down in the grove, I felt it was good…and about time.

"But you know what? Even after that kiss, even after Elladan had promised her his undying love and devotion, she still felt it was wrong. And I guess it's because she kind of felt that it was YOU she was speaking to, even when you were pretending to be Elladan. And it was for that reason that she couldn't choose, not even when Elladan kissed her. She told me that it was sort of 'wrong', like she was doing it with the wrong person. And in a way, she did. She was supposed to be kissing you, not your brother. But because you had to be such a martyr and let your twin have his way, Eli is now apparently caught between a rock and a hard place."

She stopped her ranting, and looked back to the person she was speaking to. The Elf had listened to all of her words in silence. He sat there, watching her fume and rail at him, and all the while, deep remorse floated in his steel-gray eyes. 

He spoke then, his voice soft. "You are right. Aye, this is my fault. But what can I do to resolve it? Or is it too late to resolve?"

Camille breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. _What CAN he do? _She thought for a moment, and then smiled, and answered, "First of all, you'd better be honest with your brother about your feelings for Eli. I have the feeling it's going to hurt him to have a rival – especially if the rival is YOU – but it's better than him not knowing, right? And you HAVE to tell Eli the truth. That's the most important thing. You'd better admit to her everything that you did. The longer she doesn't know, the longer she's going to hurt inside."

Elrohir nodded his head slowly, but didn't say anything further about the topic. 

Just then, a knock sounded on the door, and it creaked open, Legolas poking his head into the room. His gaze immediately landed on Camille, and he smiled. "Ah, there you are! I was wondering why when I checked your room your bed had not even been touched." He approached her, and took her hand gently in his. "Come now, sweet one, I shall see you to your rest."

Elrohir chuckled as they left. "I hope you do not plan on doing anything that is not allowed beyond the bounds of marriage, Legolas."

Camille spun around, and glared at the dark-haired Elf even as a blush appeared on her face. "Stuff a sock in it, Elrohir." 

The last thing she heard was Elrohir's soft laughter as the door closed behind her.

*      *      *

Elrohir's laughter died in his throat when the door shut with a soft click. Almost instantly, his mind began to mull over the things that Camille had told him. 

_And to think that she actually loved you. _

_………You were a good friend to her, you know that? …_……_She was supposed to be kissing you, not your brother. But because you had to be such a martyr and let your twin have his way, Eli is now apparently caught between a rock and a hard place._

_ ………You'd better be honest with your brother about your feelings for Eli. I have the feeling it's going to hurt him to have a rival – especially if the rival is YOU – but it's better than him not knowing, right? ………The longer she doesn't know, the longer she's going to hurt inside._

_And to think that she actually loved you…_

A cry startled him out of his reverie, and he immediately glanced at Eli. She was still trapped in the nightmare, seemingly unable to shake it off. She was muttering incoherent words under her breath, while she writhed and twisted as if trying to escape from something.

Finally realizing that this was no ordinary dream, Elrohir crossed the distance between him and the bed in a few quick strides, kneeling down beside the bed so that he would be able to get a closer look at Eli's face. It was twisted as if in agony, and she frequently caught her lower lip between her teeth, biting down hard enough to leave small cuts where her teeth had dug into the soft flesh. 

_This is no ordinary dream…_ Elrohir furrowed his brow as he considered his options. Elrond had taught his twin sons everything they could ever wish to know about. Though both twins had the same level when it came to sword fighting and archery, and they were both equals when it came to their knowledge of lore, it was a given that Elladan was a born leader, while Elrohir was a promising healer. Taking this into consideration, Elrond taught them accordingly. Elladan was raised to become the next Lord of Imladris, once Elrond decided to make the journey to the Undying Lands, while to Elrohir he passed on his knowledge in healing. Along with this Elrond taught Elrohir how to venture into other people's dreams and bring them back to the land of the living.

However, Elrohir's education concerning this particular skill was not yet complete, and he certainly did not have the same talent for it as his father did. And even then, Elrond never dared to venture into a nightmare. 

Elrohir clenched his jaw in determination. _This is a risk I must take. For her sake… _He glanced at Eli's face one more time, and it steeled his resolve. _It must be done. _He clasped her hand in his, and slid into a light sleep, venturing into the land of dreams…

*      ~      *

Cold. Dreadful, unearthly cold. In spite of the fact that Elves do not usually feel the difference between heat and cold, this was a chill that came from the inside out. Elrohir shivered, and rubbed his arms in an attempt to induce some warmth into them. _This is odd. Why does her dream realm feel so bitterly cold? _

He looked around at his surroundings, drawing his cloak more tightly around him. It seemed that he was standing in what was once a meadow, but all was drab and gray and barren now. A thin layer of frost coated the ground he was standing on, and it crackled and snapped whenever he took a step. He looked up at the sky, and noticed that it was a gloomy, depressing gray. He half-expected to see snow or sleet come raining down at any moment.

_Now that I am here, I must find the one who resides in this place. _He frowned when he thought that it could only be one person – Eli. _Why is her dream so sad, _he wondered as he walked, looking around for any sign of the person he had come for. 

It did not take him long. Far into the distance, he saw a small beacon of light shining from atop a hill. Sensing that he had found what he was looking for, he quickened his pace until he reached the foot of the hill. There he paused, and looked up. He saw a slender figure clad in a simple white shift sitting at the base of a withered old tree, little balls of light flickering around it. 

Casting all hesitations aside, he climbed upwards, and at last came to the crest of the hill. There he found Eli, sitting down at the foot of the tree, her eyes entranced by the little balls of light that floated around her. He knelt down beside her, and smiled. "At last, I have found you, Elisabeth."

Eli looked up at him then, and her eyes seemed distant and dull. "Oh, it's you." She turned away from him, and started to play with one of the lights in front of her, cupping her hand around it and bringing it closer to her face.

"What is that?" Elrohir inquired, seeking to find out what exactly would hold her in such thrall that she would refuse to return to the real world.

"My memories." There was a childish lilt in her voice that Elrohir found rather disturbing. She turned to him then, and passed the light towards him. "Want to look?"

Unsure as to what he should do, Elrohir decided to accept it. He cupped it in his hands, and brought it closer to his line of sight. He peered into it, trying to see past the glare of the light around it. At last, his eyes focused, and he could see what was within. He saw himself and Eli, in Rivendell, many, many months ago, sitting on the banks of the Bruinen. The two of them were laughing and chatting the day away, completely oblivious then as to what would befall them in the future. However, he had been pretending to be Elladan that day.

Elrohir swallowed. A bittersweet feeling surged through his heart, for as he recalled, that was the day he had fallen in love with her. _I may have not admitted it to myself, _he thought, _but now I know. _"Why are you showing me this?"

Eli shrugged. "Because that memory is my favorite."

"Why is it your favorite," Elrohir pressed, now more determined than ever to find out what was so special about the memory he held in his hands.

Eli shrugged. "Just because." She smiled slightly as she took it back from him, and peered into it again. "Maybe because I fell in love that day."

Elrohir's felt his heart drop. _With Elladan? _ "With whom?"

"I'm not really sure. My head tells me that I was talking to Elladan that day, but my heart is telling me that I was talking to Elrohir." She turned to him, her eyes wide and curious. "Who should I believe?"

"Your head, naturally. Remember that logic ALWAYS has the advantage. Less regrets that way, you know."

Elrohir whirled around, startled. Another Eli had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, but this one was sterner-looking and seemed prone to frowning. 

"Yeah, but the heart can discern the light where reason and logic fail," answered a third Eli, but this one seemed a little less severe than her counterpart. And around her throat there was prominently displayed the Pendant of Imladris.

Elrohir smiled slightly when he caught sight of the pendant. It had been HIS idea, actually, and it was his hands that wrought it out of the finest silver and the most beautiful diamond he had been able to find in his father's treasuries. But, unwilling then to let his father and brother know the TRUE reason for such a gift, he suggested that it be given as a gift to Eli from the whole family. _But it was a gift wrought with the love I felt for her, deep in my heart, and it was with love that I wished it to be presented to her. _

He glanced at the Eli he had been speaking to previously, and who was now watching the argument of the two other Elis in front of her. "Who shall you choose, Eli?"

"I don't know," she answered softly, and it appeared like she was ready to cry. "I've always had a hard time deciding…"

"You must choose swiftly, Eli," Elrohir whispered. "We cannot spend much longer here in this realm. I came here to bring you back."

"Choose swiftly…that's the same thing Galadriel told me before we left Lothlorien," Eli said, and it seemed for a while that a certain light burned again in her eyes. "What did she tell me…? 'Though the mists of indecisiveness now cloud your mind, there will come a time when love will open up the way to you'…" 

The diamond in the Pendant of Imladris flared brightly, and the two other Elis disappeared in the flash of light. The original now looked at him, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Elrohir! What are you-"

"Shhh," Elrohir said, laying a finger against her lips. "Now is not the time to explain. When we are back in the real world, I promise to explain everything to you." He stood up, and pulled Eli to her feet. "Now come, we must leave this place, before-"

A shriek instantly tore through the air, and when Elrohir turned to look, he saw a large horde of Orcs coming down upon him and Eli. _Orcs in the dream realms?! _Knowing that if they were caught up in the fight they would not be able to make it out, he clutched Eli's hand tightly, and the two of them attempted to flee was quickly as they could. But, as in all nightmares, nothing ever goes right, and as the two of them traversed the open field, a great chasm suddenly opened up before them, Elrohir barely able to stop in the nick of time. But Eli crashed into his back, and he was thrown off-balance and into the chasm.

"NOOO!!!!!" Elrohir felt Eli's hand tighten around his wrist, and she prevented him from falling into the dark valley beneath his feet. He looked up at her, and it seemed that there were tears in her eyes, glinting off the light that emanated from the Pendant of Imladris.

Eli shook her head, and a few tears loosed themselves from her lashes and fell down, splashing against his face. "I'm not going to let you go Elrohir!" she cried. "I…I love you!"

And then the world went up in a blaze of white brilliance…

*      ~      *

"ELROHIR!!!! Snap out of it!!!! WAKE UP!!!!"

Elrohir jerked sharply, and opened his eyes to see a variety of worried and anxious faces peering down at him. "What has happened?"

"I found you sleeping in Eli's room, stupe!" Camille exclaimed as she smacked him lightly on the cheek to wake him up a little more. "I came to check up on you and tell you to get up cause we're getting close to Gondor already, and when I came here I found you sprawled on the bed, shaking like you were having a seizure or something. I dragged Elladan and Aragorn down here, and Elladan said something about you going into Eli's dream or something."

^You know you are not skilled in that technique yet, Elrohir,^ Elladan muttered as if admonishing him. ^And you dared to enter her dreams while she was having a nightmare… Did you not know how dangerous that is?! What if you had been trapped?! You could have DIED, Elrohir!^

Elrohir shook his head, rubbing it slowly as he sat up. ^Forgive me, brother. I know that I am not skilled yet in this particular method of healing, but…I had to take the risk. I…I could not bear to see her suffering so in her slumber.^

A groan sounded at that moment, and Elrohir glanced to his side. He watched with a growing smile of relief and joy as Eli sat up, blinking her eyes rapidly in the light that streamed in from the porthole. "Wha-? Hey, what're all you guys doing here? What's the emergency?" She turned to Elrohir, and nearly yelped at finding how close he was to her. "And what the heck are you doing in my bed?!" She glanced around. "Wait a sec, where AM I to begin with?!"

*      *      *

Eli stared at the faces around her: one Elf-twin sitting beside her in the bed, the other half of the pair sitting on the edge of the bed beside his brother, her best friend sitting at the foot of the bed, and her foster-brother standing in the corner. They were all silent, stunned beyond belief. "Hey, could somebody PLEASE explain WHAT is going on?"

Camille snickered then, like she was prone to do when Eli was so confused about something. "LOOONG story Eli. Do you remember your dream last night? That might help."

_Dream? What dream? _Memories came flooding into her head at that moment, and she gasped. _Holy…yeah, the dream… _She couldn't recall the beginning of it, but she DID remember seeing a bunch of Orcs chasing her and…Elrohir? _Elrohir…what was that business with HIM in my dream? Something about going back…then he nearly fell into a big chasm like the one Gandalf fell into in Moria…and then me saying…I love you… _She shook her head hard to clear it of all the other thoughts linked to it, and decided that it would be better to think about it later. "So why are you all here?"

Camille snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah, that's right! Eli, get into your armor stuff; we're getting closer to Gondor, and Elladan figures he can see a HUGE battle going on right about now."

Eli nodded. "Yeah, sure, sure. You go on ahead of me, I'll be up on deck when I'm through." She climbed out of bed, and grinned at her companions. "What are you all doing here?! Can't I have some privacy?! Shoo! Out, out with you!"

Camille laughed, and shook her head as she stood up. "Fine, fine Little Miss Prude!" With that she and the three males exited the room, leaving Eli alone to change. 

AUTHOR'S NOTES: "Weird" would probably be the best way to describe this chapter, what with all the dream-things and the separation of Mind and Heart and all that… Though it could easily be one of those romantic chapters too, if you think about it ^_^. To those of you who are rather confused with this part of the story, I hope you will forgive me. Everything has been rather hectic lately. ANYWAY, next chapter: we show you the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and how those mumakil were brought down. The Summoners come to their full power! See you in the next chap!!


	44. Chapter Forty-three: The Fullness of Pow...

Chapter Forty-Three: The Fullness of Power 

Camille stood at the bow of the ship, peering ahead of her. The only thing her eyes could make out was a thin stream of smoke rising up from some faraway field. "That's where the battle is?"

Beside her, Aragorn nodded his head. "Aye. And that is where we go to aid our friends." He glanced at her momentarily. "Do you feel you are capable of handling the battle? I will not always be there to guard your back; neither will Legolas, or Elladan or Elrohir."

Camille chuckled, and smiled. "Aw c'mon Aragorn, you know I can take care of myself. If Helm's Deep isn't enough evidence of that, then I'm going to that to you today. I'm a big girl; I can handle it."

There was laughter behind them. When they turned, they saw Eli standing there, dressed in full battle gear, and a big smile on her face like nothing had happened to her the previous day. 

"You know Camille's right, Aragorn," Eli said as she joined them. "We're old enough to take care of ourselves."

"Perhaps in your world," the Ranger said, "but in ours, you are barely capable of doing so. By the standards of the Elves, you are mere babes."

Eli shrugged. "We mature faster in our world, maybe not physically, but at least mentally and emotionally."

Aragorn smiled. "So it would seem. And I would consider that a blessing, especially in conditions such as these." His smile disappeared then as he gazed forward. "I cannot help but wonder what awaits us there…"

Just then, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir approached them, their faces filled with worry. "Mumakil," Legolas said quietly. "There are mumakil amongst the hosts of Mordor."

Camille blinked. _What's that? _"Wait a minute, what's a mumakil? I haven't heard that word before."

"A mumakil is a great and fell monster," Elladan explained. "No living creature will dare approach it, for it was bred in the darkness of Mordor. They are as tall as giants, and as strong as trolls." 

Elrohir nodded solemnly as he looked ahead. "There are many of them upon the battlefield. The Haradrim seem to be rallying around them that they might not be struck down by the men of Gondor and Rohan. The battle is going ill for them."

Eli grinned then. "Looks like we're going to have to speed things up a little." She turned to the men who were in charge of the sails. "Drop down the sails! Send orders to the other ships to do the same!"

The men blinked at her, astonished. "But My Lady," one of them said, "there is no wind to speak of. Not even a single puff."

"Just trust me when I say that," Eli said, and turned away to face Aragorn, who was staring at her with a puzzled expression. "Hey, might as well use my powers for something, right?"

In moments a horn was sounded, and all the sails of the ships were dropped. Camille watched as Eli moved over to stand at the bow of their ship. _What's she planning to do? _Even as that thought formed in her head, the kanji symbol for Tiger appeared on Eli's forehead, and a sharp, clear breeze blew in from behind them. Their sails billowed out to their fullest span, and the ships surged forward, the water turning into white foam at their prows.

Eli smirked as she stepped down from the bow. "Now what were you guys worrying about? Delays?"

Aragorn and Legolas smiled knowingly, understanding what had just happened, while Elladan and Elrohir merely stared in shock. "What did you just do, Eli?" Elrohir asked.

"Just one of the many tricks up her sleeve, right Eli?" Camille asked with a smirk as she patted Eli on the back.

Eli grinned. "Yup! Ah, the perks of being a Summoner!"

Camille giggled, and nodded her head. _Yup, she's right. Having all this power at our disposal is going to really help in this fight. _Her eyes narrowed as they drew closer to the shore. The breeze dispersed the thick clouds that had been hanging over them during their journey to the battlefield, and the sun shone through. 

"There is a great clamor of arms, and horns and trumpets are being blown, goading both sides to battle and war," Elrohir muttered, and his hand strayed to the hilt of his sword.

His twin nodded. "Aye. A great battle awaits us."

Camille glanced at Eli, and each read the other's gaze. Camille was the first to turn away, scanning the still-too-distant-for-her-sight plain. _A great battle… Are we strong enough to pull this off? Can we do it? _She took a deep breath, and clutched her bow, slowly building up her determination.

The wind pushed them swiftly towards the shoreline, and soon they were in sight of the towers of Gondor. In even less time they were within sight of those fighting in the plain. 

Aragorn was now beside them, Halbarad nearby, the standard in his hand. "Unfurl it, Halbarad! Let the men of Gondor and Rohan see it and take courage at the sight of it, and may the hosts of Mordor falter when they see it."

Halbarad nodded, and unfurled it, the banner snapping in the wind. There flowered a White Tree, and that was for Gondor; but Seven Stars were about it, and a high crown above it, the signs of Elendil that no lord had borne for years beyond count. And the stars flamed in the sunlight, for they were wrought of gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond; and the crown was bright in the morning, for it was wrought of mithril and gold.

The ships were close enough now that the sound of laughter and cries of joy could be heard from the Rohirrim and the men of Gondor, while from the City came the merry ringing of bells and the joyous sound of trumpets. Camille grinned. _Looks like we came just in time. _

She cast her gaze over the battlefield, and felt a strange flare of energy in her body the moment her eyes landed on the mumakil. She wrinkled her nose in disgust upon seeing them. _Eww. Next time, when Elladan says, "fell monster", I'll take it to mean "ugly disgusting creature from an 'Alien' movie." _She jerked forward slightly as the ships ground into the beach, and all the men who were in them poured out into the plain, Aragorn leading them all. But she and Eli stayed behind for a moment, thinking about what to do with the mumakil. 

"Looks like this is it," Eli said quietly as she stepped towards the bow. 

Camille nodded, and she followed her. "Yeah, this is it." She glanced at her best friend briefly. "You ready for it?"

Eli grinned wickedly. "I was born ready." 

Camille felt the same wicked grin appear on her face. "Great. Now then…you go first."

Eli nodded, and stepped as far forward as the bow would allow her to go. She closed her eyes, and immediately the sign of the Dragon glowed upon her brow. There was a crackle of energy, and Camille could almost feel the ship shift beneath them as the water drew back slightly.

Almost instantly, there was a sharp cry from behind them. Camille turned to look, and watched with awe as a large blue dragon – the very same one she had seen in Moria – burst through the waves and sending a spray of sparkling water into the air. 

Knowing that it was her turn now, Camille closed her eyes, and concentrated. _Oh Suzako, please, please come down from the heavens and aid us in this battle. I need your presence now. _

She broke out of her concentrated state when she heard a melodious cry come down to her from above. She opened her eyes, and looked up. There, seeming to fly out of the rays of the morning sun came a beautiful phoenix, with feathers of crimson and gold. It raised its swan-like neck, and a beautiful music flowed from its beak. And at the sound of it, Camille was filled with courage and new hope. 

She and Eli swiftly mounted Blackwing and Whitewing, respectively, and charged onto the battlefield, Eli wielding her katana, Camille stringing her bow. Over their heads Suzako spread his wings, while alongside them Seiryuu rushed forward, his long snakelike body traversing the surface of the water to move easily on land. Once they reached the field, the two Spirits wrought havoc on the mumakil, leaving the rest of the hosts of Gondor and Rohan to deal easily with the hosts of Mordor. 

With the mumakil thus distracted, the hosts of Mordor had no safe place to run. But the Haradrim were fierce in their despair, and the Easterlings were dangerous foes in battle. It was during this battle that Eomer and Aragorn met once more, and together they led the charge of the defenders against the enemy. With them rode Legolas and Gimli, and the sons of Elrond, and soon Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth with his knights. And all the while the Spirits destroyed each and every one of the mumakil, while their Summoners went with Aragorn to fight their own battle.

Then the sun went at last behind Mindolluin and filled all the sky with a great burning, so that the hills and the mountains were dyed as with blood; fire glowed in the River, and the grass of the Pelennor lay red in the nightfall. And in that hour the great Battle of the field of Gondor was over; and not one living foe was left alive within the circuit of the Rammas. 

But many good men had fallen that day as well, both among the Rohirrim, the Men of Gondor, and those who had come with Aragorn by the black ships. No few had fallen, renowned or nameless, captain or soldier; for it was a great battle, and the full count of it no tale has told.

*      *      *

Pippin snapped out of his slightly dazed state as he watched a group of people come walking up the steps that led from the street to the Houses of Healing. When he saw at last who was coming, he cried out in surprise and joy. 

"Strider! How splendid! Do you know, I guessed it was you in the black ships. But they were all shouting 'corsairs' and wouldn't listen to me. How did you do it?"

Aragorn laughed, and took him by the hand. "Well met indeed!" he said. "But there is not time yet for travelers' tales." He nodded towards the two figures that followed behind Imrahil and Eomer, the ones clad in blue and red. "But I believe that Eli and Camille will be able to answer your questions for the meantime."

Before Pippin could even say anything to greet his friends, the two girls had already wrapped him in their arms, hugging him tightly.

"We missed you so much, Pippin! We were so worried about you!" Camille exclaimed when she drew back from him.

Eli nodded. "Same here. But we kind of figured out that you would be safe wherever Gandalf put you."

Pippin grinned back at them. "Eli! Camille! It is such a pleasure to see you once more! I heard all of them crying out 'dragon' up and down the City, and I knew immediately that you had arrived! The watchers say that you routed the mumakil!"

Eli laughed somewhat, and waved her hand. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that." She nodded towards the hallways inside. "What's in there?"

"These are the Houses of Healing," Pippin answered, and his voice faltered slightly as he continued, "Merry's in there, along with Eowyn and Faramir."

Eli's voice was tinged with worry and concern. "Why, what happened to Merry and Eowyn?"

Pippin swallowed against the building lump in his throat. "They…they were in the battle when the Captain of the Nazgul came and destroyed the gates of the City. Eowyn and Merry took him down."

"And what else?" Camille urged. 

Pippin shrugged. "I do not know yet. They are lying inside; sick with the strange disease the healers call the Black Shadow. It seems to have fallen on all those who got too near to the King of the Nazgul during the battle."

Camille and Eli looked at each other briefly, then they stood up. "Come with us Pip," Eli said. "Lead us to where Merry is."

Pippin nodded, and took her hand, leading the two of them through the Houses of Healing. As they passed, he noted that many of the healers gazed upon the two girls in amazement. _They have not seen women who are clad in armor and who fight in the battlefield, _he thought.

At last they reached the place where Eowyn and Merry had been laid to heal, and when they entered, they found Aragorn, Gandalf, Imrahil and Eomer inside. The first bed they came upon was Faramir's. And when Camille looked upon his face, she gasped, and took half a step back. "Boromir?! But-but how…what…?"

Gandalf, hearing her cry, shook his head calmly. "Nay, you are wrong, Camille. The man you see there is not Boromir, but his younger brother, Faramir." He smiled slightly then. "Though I do have to admit that the resemblance is uncanny when viewed from afar, or at first glance."

Eli blinked, and slowly approached the bed, keeping her gaze focused on Faramir's face. After a while, she smiled, and shook her head. "Yeah, it's not Boromir." She tilted her head in a quizzical manner. "But, wow, the similarity is - for lack of a better word - remarkable."

Camille drifted over slowly. "What's wrong with him?" She removed her gloves, and touched a hand to his forehead. Faramir moaned, while Camille yelped, drawing her hand back. "Yeow! He's burning up!"

"That is one of the many symptoms of the Black Shadow, of which Faramir is in the latter stages of the illness," Imrahil answered, his tone dark. He gestured to the rest of the Houses. "The Houses are filled with those who have succumbed to it, and no few have already died from it."

Pippin looked at Eli and Camille, who seemed to be deep in thought. _What do they intend to do, _he wondered. He had some inkling that their powers were now greater than when he had last seen them, and he believed that they were currently thinking of some plan by which they would be able to help.

At long last, Eli looked up at Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil. "I think there's something I could do… Could you have the windows opened on the western side of the Houses of Healing?"

"Why would you want that done, My Lady?" Eomer asked, doubt in his heart. "Would not the cold night air cause the illness to worsen?"

Aragorn raised his hand, staying Eomer's words. "No, I believe they will not. When Eli speaks of the air and the breeze, it is as if she were speaking of a good and trusted friend." He turned his gaze to Eli. "Are you certain you can accomplish what you intend to do? You are weary, and it might only do you undue harm."

Eli waved her hand. "Don't you worry, I'll be just fine." She grinned at him then. "Camille and I have reached our full powers. Didn't you notice? We didn't collapse even when we summoned the Spirits. So calling a warm, healing breeze from the west won't hurt me one bit."

Pippin felt his eyes widen when he heard that. _They have come to their full powers? It is no small wonder, then, that they called upon the Spirits with ease in the battle! I can still remember what happened to Eli when she first attempted to call the Dragon in Moria. She was bedridden in Lorien for most of our stay there. Yet now…she has summoned the Dragon, and STILL she is capable to calling in the breezes of the west to come to her service! _

As these thoughts passed through his mind, the servants, upon command of Aragorn, opened all the windows that opened to the west. The moment they did so, a warm, pleasant breeze, scented with flowers and a hint of salt from a faraway shore, drifted through the Houses of Healing. As it wafted through the various rooms, many of those who were stricken with the early stages of the Black Shadow seemed to be cured of it, while those who were in the later phases were calmed to a certain degree. 

But it was not enough to heal Faramir. It only served to bring down the fever a little, but not by much. Noticing this, Eli slid off her gloves, sat down on the edge of the bed, and brought her hand to rest just over Faramir's forehead. She slowly closed her eyes, and Pippin noticed a strange symbol suddenly flicker to life on her brow. It glowed a bright blue in the semi-darkness of the House, and the light that emanated from it seemed to course through her skin and into Faramir. All watched as Faramir finally lay still, resting at last, his breathing slow and easy.

When he had calmed down at last, Eli sighed, and pulled back. The symbol disappeared from her brow, and the light faded. She stood up, and glanced at the males. "I managed to bring the fever down for now, but I don't think it's enough. You're going to have to do whatever it is you have to do."

Gandalf drew away from the three others then. "Come with me," he said to them, waving them over to another part of the House. "I believe that your powers are just what are needed in this situation."

Pippin followed behind the Wizard and the two girls as Gandalf led them into the room where Eowyn was lying. There the fair White Lady of Rohan lay as if sleeping, but everyone knew that she was wandering in some far dreamland that none but Elrond, or perhaps Aragorn could penetrate. But Elrond was not there, and Aragorn was tending to Faramir.

Camille sighed deeply when she saw Eowyn. "I knew it would come down to this, eventually. She didn't exactly like her being forced to stay back in Edoras, did she?" She grinned a little. "If she'd been born in our world, she'd have made for one heck of a career woman!"

"But perhaps it was better that she was born here, and in her lot," Gandalf said, "for if she had not, then she would not have dared to venture out into the fray, and perhaps worse evils would have befallen us today."

"Maybe," Camille said with a shrug. She sat down on the bed, and asked, "Which arm was it that hit the King of the Nazgul?"

"The sword-arm; her right arm," Gandalf replied quickly.

Camille thought it over for a moment, and then picked up Eowyn's hand in hers. As with Eli, a symbol flared to life on her brow, and the light from it coursed through her skin and into Eowyn's arm. Soon, the limb, which had been pale and cold, was now a pinkish color, and radiated a healthy heat. The deed done, Camille drew back, and stood up again. "She's going to be fine, at least for now. Aragorn can handle the rest of it."

Gandalf smiled. "There is but one left." He started to walk again, and this time, they were brought to Merry's room. Pippin ran over to Merry's side, and looked up hopefully at Camille and Eli. "Do you think you can bring him out of his sleep?"

Eli shook her head. "Nope. Sorry Pip, but Camille and I can only go so far with our healing capacities. We can help it along, making it faster, or making it easier, or a little less painful, but the true curing comes from Aragorn."

Pippin sighed, and bowed his head. "I suppose that it was a little too much to hope for." He smiled slightly. "But you will do everything you can for him, right?"

Camille smiled. "Of course! You think that we wouldn't do anything for HIM, one of the Fellowship and our good friend?" She glanced away from him, and focused on Merry. "Which arm is it?"

"The right arm," Pippin answered, for he had learned of it from Merry himself as he brought his friend to the Houses of Healing.

Camille nodded, picking up Merry's hand as she did so. She did pretty much the same thing for Merry that she did for Eowyn, and when Pippin placed his hand on Merry's sword-arm, the coldness had gone, and was replaced with warmth. 

Pippin smiled up at Camille in gratitude. "Thank you, Camille."

Camille giggled. "Don't thank me just yet, Pip. You can thank me when Aragorn is through with Merry." 

Gandalf shook his head. "Legolas was indeed right about you; you always refuse praise when it is given to you. Now then," he said, leading them towards the door, "I believe that it is time that you two went into the City and rested. You have had a long, hard fight, and you will need as much rest as you can get." 

The two girls started to protest. "But Gandalf…"

"Now is not the time for argument, my dears," Gandalf said in a mock-stern tone. "I will not have you two at a disadvantage should Gondor be attacked again." He smiled slightly. "Much of the hope of the defense of Gondor lies in your hands. We shall need the power of the Spirits in driving back the forces of Mordor, should they attempt to attack once more. And that means you must be properly rested."

Pippin watched as the two girls rolled their eyes, and walked off into the night, Legolas appearing from somewhere else to escort them to the Tower. He could not help but smile as he watched them leave. "Gandalf, do you think Mordor will come and attack us again?" 

"After that show of power from the Summoners? I think not," Gandalf answered. He turned to Pippin, and winked. "But you probably know as well as I do that they will not stop tending the wounded and the sick if I did not tell them otherwise."

Pippin's smile widened, and he nodded in agreement.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Done!!! Phew, that was pretty hard to write, particularly the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. I have absolutely NO idea as to what those mumakil really look like, so I didn't really describe them in detail. All I really know for certain is that they're huge, black, stink like hell, and are just about as ugly too. Now then, MUSH ALERT!!! For those of you who love the sons of Elrond, the next chapter is for you! Who shall win the heart of Eli at last: Elladan or Elrohir? Who shall Eli follow: Mind or Heart? The answer's all up next…


	45. Chapter Forty-four: And the Light of Lov...

Chapter Forty-Four: And the Light of Love Shall be Your Guide… 

Eli couldn't sleep. She tried all kinds of positions, rearranged her pillows, and even tried sleeping on the floor to see if it might help, but nothing happened. With a low growl of frustration, she clambered back into her bed, and lay against the soft fluffy sheets, staring up at the ceiling. _I am now an official insomniac._

It was pretty much quiet where she was, nothing to be heard except the sound of a fountain trilling away someplace and the whispering of the west wind she had called. _And I thought it'd help in sending me to sleep, like it did with those stricken with the Black Shadow, _she mused. She rolled onto her stomach, and lay facing the window. A sickle moon greeted her, gleaming brightly high above, and all around it there twinkled a multitude of stars. 

She grinned when she saw that one tiny star was shining close beside the moon. _What was that old saying? "If at night a star is close to the moon, two lovers are about to meet." _She looked up, glancing at the door that joined her room to Camille's. _Maybe she and Legolas are having a late-night rendezvous somewhere out there. _

Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. _Late-night rendezvous…hehe, this'll be good! _Rubbing her hands together evilly, she got up, put on the white robe that had been provided for her use, and slowly crept towards the door that opened to Camille's room. Opening it slowly, she peered inside. There was a lump lying on the bed. Tiptoeing towards it, Eli circled the large bed so that she could see if Camille was really there or not. _For all I know she could have just propped up a bunch of pillows to make it look like she was lying in bed. She's done that about a billion times already before. _

Unfortunately, all her evil plans faded to nothing when she found that Camille was actually lying in her bed, asleep, and pretty deep in her dreams, at that. Whatever they might have been, they were probably good, because she had a rather goofy-looking smile on her face, and every now and then she would mumble two words: "Legolas" and "chocolate".

Eli managed to stifle her giggles as she walked out of Camille's room. _Legolas and chocolate…the two most important things to Camille. _Camille had always been a chocolate addict, calling it her "vice", as she was prone to turn to it whenever she felt troubled or had a problem. And as for Legolas…well, the explanation for THAT she knew.

_I always knew they would be together, _Eli thought to herself as she wandered out of her best friend's room and into her own. She sighed, and proceeded to walk out of her room, intending to go for a walk in the gardens. _Maybe that will clear out my head and help me get some sleep. _

*          *          *

Elladan stood at the balcony of his chambers, overlooking the vast gardens of the White Tower. Though they were not nearly as beautiful as the gardens of Rivendell, there was still a wonderful, calming quality to them that could only be brought about by the sight of green growing things. From the west whispered a soothing breeze, bringing healing and rest to all it touched. 

A streak of white caught his eye. Glancing down, he saw a slender figure traverse the courtyard, heading towards one of the many fountains that still sprayed their glittering droplets into the air. He smiled the moment he saw it. _Eli…_

Just then, a knock sounded on his door. He turned around to face it. ^Elrohir?^

The door creaked open then, and Elladan realized his guess was correct. Elrohir walked into his brother's room, a faint smile upon his face. ^You are still awake?^

Elladan gave a smooth shrug. ^I do not wish to sleep yet.^ He turned away from his twin, and gazed down at the gardens below. 

Elrohir followed his gaze, and it landed on Eli, who was sitting beside the fountain, her head bent down to gaze at the rippling moonlight reflected in the pool. Elladan noticed his twin stiffen slightly, before he said, ^Elladan, there is something I must tell you…^

Realizing that this was something important, Elladan turned fully to his twin, his face open and concerned. ^What is it? And why does it distress you so?^

Elrohir did not meet his gaze, as if he were afraid that Elladan would perceive something before he had the chance to speak. The elder twin waited patiently, until at last, Elrohir said, ^It concerns Elisabeth.^

Elladan felt his heart give a painful twinge. _It is as I expected. _He gazed at Elrohir for a moment, and then turned his gaze to Eli. ^It is just as I suspected. You love her.^

^You knew of this?^ Elrohir asked, apparently startled by this admission. ^Did anyone tell you? Did Camille?^

Elladan laughed softly, shaking his head. ^Nay, no one told me. I have gleaned this knowledge from my observation of you.^ He smiled slightly at Elrohir. ^We have always been able to discern what the other is feeling. That is a gift granted to us as twins. We are similar in appearance, and, to a certain degree, similar in mind and heart as well.^

Elrohir nodded seriously. ^Aye, similar in heart. So similar, perhaps, that we both desire the love of the same woman.^

Elladan does not answer that. _Aye, we love the same woman, _he thought as he watched Eli dip her hand into the fountain and lazily swirl the water around with her hand. After a long moment in silence, he asked, ^Elrohir, what was it that…ensnared your heart? What was it that caused you to give her a small part of your soul and, perhaps, a large part of your heart?^

Elrohir sighed. ^I do not know how to put it. I love her for everything that she is and is not. She is not perfect, and that is why I adore her. I love her when she smiles, and I love her when she is angry. I love her for being what she is, nothing more, and nothing less.^

Elladan gazed with a bemused smile at his brother. _So it is true. Long have I suspected that he harbored feelings for Eli, but was not willing to make it known to anyone, not even to me. _He reached out, and placed a hand on Elrohir's shoulder. ^Elrohir, I shall say this to you now: you have greater right to her than I do.^

^What?^ Elrohir asked, surprised as he looked up at his older brother. ^What do you mean by that?^

^It means that I relinquish Eli's love to you,^ Elladan replied with a smile.

Elrohir stared at him, stunned. ^Elladan, why would you relinquish her to me? What reasons have you for such a decision?^

^As I said, you have greater right to her,^ Elladan answered. He glanced at Eli again. ^I loved her only for what I saw on the surface. You love her for what she is inside. I do not deserve her love.^

^But Elladan,^ Elrohir exclaimed, ^I conceived the plan because I knew that you loved her!^

Elladan shook his head. ^But I did nothing to earn her love. Nay, you are the one who struggled to gain her love for me; it is only right that you claim it for your own.^ He smiled. ^Do not worry about me, brother. You have done so many things for me; I believe that I must do this one thing for you.^ He pushed Elrohir gently into the room and towards the door. ^Go! Time is of the essence, brother! You must tell her how you feel tonight. For in a few days thence, we ride to battle…and, perhaps, to our death.^

Elrohir stood at the door, staring back at him in disbelief. Then, at last, a smile appeared on his face. ^Thank you, Elladan.^ With that he opened the door, and disappeared into the night.

*      *      *

El sighed as she lifted her hand out of the water, shaking it to get rid of the excess moisture. The water droplets sprayed all around, most of them falling back into the fountain, but a few splattered onto her face and throat. They landed on the diamond in the Pendant of Imladris; the stone sparkling brilliantly even in the moonlight. She picked it up, and looked at it carefully. Under her breath, she started to sing a song…

_Ne aishitara daremo ga_

_Konna kodoku ni naru no?_

_Ne kurayami yori mo fukai kurushimi_

_Dakishimeteru no?_

_Nani mo kamo ga futari kagayaku tame_

_Kitto_

_Kimi o kimi o aishiteru_

_Kokoro de mitsumete iru_

_Kimi o kimi o shinjiteru_

_Samui yoru mo_

_Ne koi shite mo dare ni mo itsuka_

_Owari ga kuru no?_

_Ne aozora yori mo sunda_

_Tokimeki sutete shimau no?_

****

_Kisetsu kawaru no kaze_

_Michi o hashiru zutto_

****

_Kimi o kimi o aishiteru_

_Kokoro de mitsumete iru_

_Kimi o kimi o shinjiteru_

_Samui yoru mo_

****

_Tatoe ashita nakushite mo_

_Anata o ushinatte mo_

_Dekiru kagiri no egao de kayagakitai_

_Namida de ima yobi kakeru_

_Yakusoku nado iranai_

_Kimi ga kureta taisetsu na tsuyosa dakara_

_Hitomi de ima yobi kakeru_

_Yakusoku nado iranai_

_Hitomi de ima te o nobasu_

_Samui yoru mo_

"Say, when they're in love,

Does everyone get this lonely?

Say, do they embrace the pain

That's even deeper than the darkness?

"It's all been so that we

Can shine,

I just know it!

"I... I love you.

I'm gazing at you with my heart.

I... I believe in you. 

Even on the coldest night.

"Say, even if they're in love,

Could the end someday come for them, too?

Say, could a feeling that's even

Clearer than the blue sky end up being abandoned?

"The season-changing winds

Running along the streets

Forever

"I... I love you.

I'm gazing at you with my heart.

I... I believe in you.

Even on the coldest night.

"Even if I lost tomorrow,

And even if I lost you, too,

I want to shine,

Smiling as best as I can.

I call out to you now with my tears.

I don't need promises or such things,

Because of the precious

Strength that you've given me

"I call out to you now with my eyes.

I don't need promises or such things.

I reach out to you now with my eyes,

Even on the coldest night"

"Your voice never ceases to amaze me, Eli."

El jerked suddenly, almost toppling over into the fountain and giving herself an untimely bath. _What the… _She looked up to the source of the voice, and her eyes widened when she saw one of the sons of Elrond standing there before her. She swallowed. _Which one is it? _She peered closely for a minute, then asked, her voice hesitant, "Elladan?"

The twin smiled, and shook his head. "Nay, Elisabeth, 'tis I, Elrohir."

"Oh." Eli looked at him for a moment, then asked, "What are you doing up this late at night?"

"I should ask you the same thing," Elrohir answered as he moved to sit down beside her. "And maybe I should add that it is not proper for you to be walking about in such inadequate garments."

Eli rolled her eyes, but scooted over a little to give the Elf some room to sit in. "Don't worry, it's not a cold night. And as for why I'm out here this late… I couldn't sleep." She smiled slightly. "It's weird, actually. Normally I can sleep under any kind of circumstance, but not tonight."

"Would it have something to do with that nightmare you recently had, perhaps," Elrohir asked, his voice concerned.

"I don't know," Eli answered softly. "Maybe." Mustering up as much courage as she could, she looked up at Elrohir, and asked, "What were you doing in my nightmare? I remember Elladan getting mad at you for doing it."

Elrohir smiled slightly. "The Shadow Host left you with a terrible nightmare that assailed you in your sleep. I could not bear to see you thus pained, and so I forsook all the advice that my father gave to me, and I put to use the skill of dream walking as he taught it to me. Though under normal circumstances, not even my father would dare to walk into a nightmare as I have done."

"Then why did you do it?" Eli asked, though in the back of her mind she felt she knew what the answer was.

^You already know the answer to that,^ Elrohir replied softly. He reached out, and gently laid his fingers against the Pendant of Imladris. ^When I wrought this in the smithies of Imladris, it was to serve as a memento of our family, of Father, Arwen, Elladan, and myself, to remind you that we would always be waiting for you to return to us again. But, in the deepest depths of my heart, I created it to serve as a reminder that I would love you forever. Even if you had wed Elladan, I would have continued to love you, even from the shadows. And I would have done so for the span of your mortal life; nay, even when you no longer lived, I would have loved you still.^

Eli gulped, her fingers trembling as she touched the Pendant. ^You…you made this yourself?^ _He made it himself?! Why would he go through so much trouble…just to make this for me? _

Elrohir nodded. ^Aye, out of my love for you.^ At that moment, he frowned. ^I shall confess something to you, and though you may spurn me because of it, I must take that risk.^ He inhaled deeply, then said, ^During the times when you were speaking with Elladan and gaining his friendship, you were not speaking to him at all. You were speaking to me.^

Eli felt her jaw drop wide open in surprise. _What?! _^Elrohir, what do you mean by that? That you were pretending to be Elladan?^

^Aye, that is exactly what I meant.^

Eli felt her blood run cold through her veins all of a sudden. _Does he mean to tell me that all that time I thought I was spending with Elladan, it was HIM I was talking to?! _^But…but…WHY?!^ 

Elrohir sighed, and there was infinite weariness in that sigh. ^When we found you by the Bruinen, I knew immediately that Elladan had become enamored of you. During that time, I admitted to myself that you were beautiful, but I also knew that it was not right to simply pay court to a person one does not know well. But Elladan believed that he had at last found the one his heart long searched for, and I, ever eager to make my brother happy, found ways and means of winning you for him. And the strategy I employed the most was to take the guise of my brother when speaking with you, and make you believe that you were speaking to him, and not I.

^However, in the course of that plan, I grew to learn more about you, and I realized that you were indeed more than you appeared to be. And in the end, I became enamored of you, for more reasons that just your beauty. I was enamored your intelligence, your wit…and most especially, the kind and loving soul that you constantly hid beneath a cold and uncaring exterior. It is for these reasons, and so many more that I cannot relate now, that I fell in love with you.^

Eli bent her head, and felt hot tears come to her eyes. _Everything about Elladan…it was just a lie? And all along…all along…it should have been Elrohir? _Only now did she understand what her dream meant. The Mind might lead to security and stability, but it can be fooled. Only the Heart may truly discern the path one should take to happiness at the end of the road. 

She felt Elrohir gently cup her chin in his hand, and tilt her head upwards. She flicked her gaze up to his face, and was immediately held in the spell of his gray eyes. He leaned to her, and softly kissed away each tear that fell from her eyes.

^Hush, my love,^ he whispered to her, ^let me bear the pains of your heart, for I do not wish to see you so sad.^ He drew away, looking into her eyes searchingly. ^I love you, fair Elisarien.^

Eli smiled. She had decided. And Heart had won over Mind. Sliding her arms around his neck, she whispered back, ^And I love you, Elrohir. I must have been blind not to see it, but now… I can see it more clearly than I ever have before.^

The smile that curled on Elrohir's face was perhaps the most beautiful one she had ever seen in her life. He leaned closer to her, and sealed their confession with a tender, soul-searing kiss. 

Eli felt her heart soar with delight and pure, unadulterated happiness. This kiss no longer felt wrong; in fact, it felt so RIGHT. _This is where I belong. In Elrohir's arms, I know that nothing can ever go wrong, ever again._

Her eyes fluttered open slowly when Elrohir drew away from her, ending the kiss. He gazed down at her, his eyes intense with emotion, and whispered, ^And so at last my Treasure is returned to me, and never shall I let it go. My very heart is in your keeping now, Elisarien. My entire being I offer to you, to bind to you in love eternal.^

^And I give my all to you, Elrohir. Everything that I am and am not, are yours, for as long as my mortal life shall allow,^ Eli whispered, and buried her face in his chest as he drew her into a tight, loving embrace.

Above them, the crescent moon glowed in pale light, and Earendil star hovered beside it. And all the heavens were witness as the Prophecy drew close to its fulfillment.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, this was not as sappy as Legolas and Camille's chapter looks back and surveys everything, but then again, I think that I did a pretty good job at it ^_^. The thing about the star and the moon…that's a real saying where I'm from, and in some strange way, infallibly true… And the song I used above is entitled "Yakusoku wa Iranai (No Need for Promises)" the opening song from the anime "Vision of Escaflowne". Hope that the fans of the twins like what I did here! Now then, NEXT CHAPTER: the final battle is drawing near, and everyone is rather worried. Camille and Eli aren't sure if they're going to make it out alive; then again, neither are Legolas, Elrohir, Aragorn, Elladan, Gimli, Merry, Pippin and Gandalf sure that they're going to come out of it alive either. With Aragorn and Gandalf's permission and guidance, the Summoners use the Palantir of Orthanc to take a brief visit to their world to say goodbye… How do their farewells go? Read on to find out!


	46. Chapter Forty-five: Goodbyes...

Chapter Forty-Five: Goodbyes… 

Camille woke up to the feel of sunlight on her face, and to the sound of birds twittering outside her window. She grinned, and rolled over in her bed, nuzzling her face against her soft fluffy pillows. _Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. _After a few moments of simply lying in her bed (which felt like heaven, after so many months of making do without one), she got up, and proceeded to change into a comfortable white linen dress, with a hem that reached only to the middle of her calf, and a pair of white doeskin shoes. 

As she sat down in front of the mirror to comb her hair, there was a knock on the door that joined her room and Eli's. Knowing immediately who it was, she grinned, and yelled, "Door's open Eli!"

The door creaked open, and Eli's familiar face with its familiar hazel eyes framed by dark brown hair appeared in the mirror. As Camille looked at the reflection of her best friend, she noticed something…different. _Is it just me, or does she look a little more…pepped-up today than normal? And where the heck did that HUGE smile come from?! _"Hey, what's up with the smile? It's like Christmas, Easter, and your birthday all came together on one day."

For that comment Eli gave her a small whack to the back of the head, but her best friend's smile only became wider. "Something happened last night."

Now Camille was curious. She raised an eyebrow. "Really? What? Did you have a good dream or something?"

Eli sighed, and moved towards the bed, flopping down on it. "You know, now that I think about it, I'm not really sure if it was just a dream or if it was real. It's almost too good to be true."

Camille turned away from the mirror to look at Eli, who was still lying on the bed and grinning like an idiot. "You know, I'm starting to think that those ghosts made you go completely crazy, or if they didn't, that maybe you took a blow to the head during the battle yesterday. What is UP with you?!"

Eli sat up, and stared at her best friend, hazel eyes glimmering. "I've made up my mind about Elladan and Elrohir. And I realized that…it isn't Elladan I love…but Elrohir."

Camille's mouth fell wide open at that moment, and her eyes very nearly bugged right out of her skull. "You…and Elrohir?"

"Yeah." Eli's face fell slightly. "Why, what's wrong?"

Camille sat silent for a moment, then she squealed, jumped up, and hugged her friend. "AND IT'S ABOUT TIME, ELI!!!! Ooh, do tell me what happened, and don't leave out one single juicy detail!!"

She listened carefully while Eli told her everything that happened last night. She smiled when Eli told her about Elrohir admitting to tricking her. "Amazing that you didn't drown him right there and then because of that."

Eli raised an eyebrow at that. "What makes you think I'd drown him?"

"Everyone knows that you've got a worse temper than I do. I was fully expecting you to blow up in his face when he told you that."

"Why would I blow up at my boyfriend for being honest? And why would I blow up in front of HIM, of all the people in the world?"

At the word "boyfriend", Camille suddenly got a very wicked idea. She grinned evilly, and stood up, heading towards the door. _Seems like nobody knows yet…hmm, wonder what Aragorn and Legolas will say when they find out? _

Eli was looking at her warily. "I know that look in your eyes, Camille Selvitar. What are you planning on doing?"

Camille grinned, and opened the door that led into the hallway. "Nothing. I just plan on announcing to the entire world that you and Elrohir are together already." And with that she sprinted into the hallway, laughing when she heard Eli yell, "DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT, CAMILLE SELVITAR!!!"

But Camille just laughed, and ignored Eli's threats. _Hehehe, wonder what Gandalf will say when he finds out? _

*      *      *

Legolas walked down the halls with a brisk and light step, eager to see Camille once again. They hadn't really gotten the chance to spend time together the previous day, and now that there was going to be a short break in all the fights of this war, he fully intended to spend what he felt to be his last few waking hours with her. _Should the end come, as so many believe, then I, just like her, would rather face it with her in my arms. _

As he rounded a corner, a white streak suddenly came hurtling at top speed towards him. Slightly surprised, Legolas braced himself just in time to prevent himself from falling over backwards when the streak collided with him.

"OW!"

Legolas smiled at the familiar voice, and realized now that he held in his arms a slim figure clad in a simple white dress. "What is so important that you would come running out the way you did, my love? Did you sense that I was approaching?"

Camille grinned up at him. "Oh, Legolas!" Standing on her tiptoes, she brushed a fond kiss on his lips before continuing, "I just got a FANTASTIC bit of news this morning!"

"And what would that be?" Legolas asked, amused by the sudden excited state of his fiancée.

There was a wicked grin on Camille face as she whispered, "Did you know? Elrohir and Eli are together already!"

Legolas' eyebrow quirked upwards when he heard those words. "Indeed? And she told you this morning?"

"Uh huh. Along with every juicy, sappy detail of the confession."

He laughed. "Would you tell me those details?"

Camille smiled, and shook his head. "Nope, I won't go THAT far. I'll only tell you that she and Elrohir are together already. Say, can you tell me where Aragorn and the others are? I want to tell him and Gandalf."

"I think they are in the Houses of Healing, looking into the condition of Faramir, Eowyn, and Merry," Legolas answered.

Camille nodded. "Oh, that so? I'll go over there right now." She started down the hall again, but before she rounded the corner, she looked back, grinned, and blew him a kiss. With a girlish giggle, she disappeared around the bend. 

"So she told you, eh?"

Legolas turned again, and found Eli standing behind him. Her arms were crossed over her chest in irritation, and there was a small, irritated smile on her face. He nodded. "Aye, she did." He smiled at her then. "But I believe that it is all for the best. It is indeed 'about time', as Camille would have put it."

"Yeah, well, I suppose she's right," Eli said with a conceding nod. She huffed then. "But that doesn't give her the right to declare it to everyone, right? I mean, I'M the one who's supposed to be doing that, not her!" She shook her head, and started off after her best friend. "Sorry, but I really got to go for now, Legolas. I need to find Camille before the entire population of the White City finds out about Elrohir and me. It's kind of something I'd like to keep in our circle."

Legolas waved his hand. "Please, do not let me be a cause for delay." And with that Eli dashed off after Camille, looking quite ready to strangle her best friend. He shook his head, amused. He decided that now would not be a good time to speak with Camille, seeing as she was off doing something else on her own. He shrugged, and walked off in another direction. _Now then, where would Gimli be at this hour? _

*      *      *

Eli peered around the corner as she looked for her best friend. She had heard from a servant that Camille was seen heading towards the Houses of Healing, intent on finding Gandalf and Aragorn. She smiled slightly when she thought of it. _Well at least she hasn't gotten the mind to tell Pippin yet. If she does, then the whole of Minas Tirith will know what's going on with Elrohir and I._

She reached the Houses of Healing then, and walked towards the House where Faramir, Eowyn and Merry were, knowing full well that that was where she would find Aragorn and Gandalf. True enough, she spotted them sitting on chairs around Camille, who was occupying a window seat, and they were all silent, as if they were contemplating or waiting for something. 

Eli entered the room then, her gaze puzzled. "Hey, what's up with you guys? Why are you all so serious?"

Gandalf was the first to acknowledge her presence. He smiled slightly, and said, "Ah, you have arrived. Please Eli, sit down. There is something we must discuss."

Eli looked from Gandalf, to Aragorn, to Camille, a wary expression on her face. Slowly, she approached the window seat, and sat down beside her. "Okay, what's up? Has this got to do with what happened to Elrohir and me?"

Aragorn chuckled, and shook his head. "Nay, it has nothing to do with that." He quickly became serious again. "However, it may indirectly involve him… Eli, Camille, do you not miss your home? Your family? Your world?"

Camille smiled slightly. "Sure we do Aragorn. I miss my parents and my little sister like hell. And it it's just my family, but the conveniences and familiarity of my world as well. It's been much too long since I sat in front of a television, or went shopping in a mall, or used a telephone, or surfed the Internet."

"I agree," Eli said with a nod. "I miss my uncle's face, my aunt's cooking, and even the general bratty attitude of my little sister. And, like Camille said, there are some things in our world that just CAN'T be had in this one…particularly where technology is concerned." She eyed the Wizard and the Ranger critically. "Why'd you ask that question all of a sudden?"

Aragorn bent over to retrieve a cloth-covered ball, and he held it out to them. "We all need to make our farewells at one point or another…but the fact that you were brought here to Middle-Earth with such suddenness left no time for you to bid a good-bye to the loved ones you left behind. I have spoken of this matter with Gandalf, and he says that he knows of a way by which you may return to your world temporarily, but long enough for you to bid farewell to your families."

"And what would this method be?" Camille asked, her eyes focused on the ball.

Gandalf cleared his throat slightly, and then said; "We shall use the Palantir of Orthanc as a method of…projecting you to your world. I have recently discovered a spell that will allow us to do this, but I must warn you: while you are in that world you will have no substance. Your body will appear the way it does here in this world, but it shall not be solid. All that other eyes will see is a semi-transparent shape, but it cannot be touched or held." His eyes flickered towards them. "Do you understand what I am trying to say?"

Eli nodded. "Yeah, we do. Very well, actually." She turned to the sphere that Aragorn held, knowing then that it was the Palantir that was spoken of. "Just a question though. If my memory serves me right, all the Palantirs are 'connected' to each other, right? We all know that Sauron probably has THREE of these babies with him in Mordor. How sure are we that he won't be able to interfere? I certainly wouldn't want to be caught up in the space between dimensions, if you get what I'm saying…"

"Aye, I have thought of that as well, and I can assure you that there is nothing for you to worry about," Gandalf said reassuringly. "That is why Aragorn is here. As he may have told you, he has already wrested control of the Orthanc Palantir from Sauron, as he is the lawful master of the Stone. He will make sure that neither Sauron nor any outside elements threaten us while we do this." He stared at them for a long while. "Are you ready?"

Eli glanced at Camille, and noticed the slight apprehension in her best friend's eyes, but also the excitement and sadness at getting so see their families again. She sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we are." She grinned at Camille. "You go first."

Camille sighed, and nodded. "Fine." Glancing at Gandalf, she asked, "So, what am I supposed to do?"

Gandalf reached for her two hands, taking one in his own, while the other he placed on the now-revealed Palantir that Aragorn held in his hand. This done, Gandalf then continued to explain, "Now then, close your eyes, and think of your world, your home, and your family. Concentrate on those things, particularly the last one."

Camille did as Gandalf told her, and the Wizard started to mutter a soft spell under his breath. Eli sighed, watching the entire affair as Camille started to slowly slip into a trance-like state…

*      *      *

Camille didn't dare open her eyes, even as she continued to hear Gandalf's soft chanting from somewhere nearby. Like Eli, she feared getting caught in a time/space continuum, knowing full well that if it happened, there was probably no way she would be able to get back. She concentrated on thoughts of her family, of getting to see her parents and sister again one last time before she left them forever…

Gandalf's soft voice intruded gently on her thoughts. 'It is safe to open your eyes now, child…'

Obediently, Camille did as she was told, and gasped. _Holy…_ She was now standing directly in front of her house, and it looked like no time had passed at all since the time she and Eli had disappeared. The afternoon sun was still spilling its golden rays on the stone and tiles of her house, making the light lacy curtains inside turn a tawny yellow. Speaking to Gandalf in her mind, she asked, 'Gandalf, did any time pass here in my world at all?!'

'I am afraid so, child,' answered the Wizard. 'The same amount of time you have spent in Middle-Earth is also the same amount of time that has gone by here. Though I am somewhat certain that in your world you measure time differently, I would say that it has been a little over a year since your disappearance.'

_A little over a year…_ Camille gulped as she walked slowly towards the house. The gate was left slightly open, and she slid in easily through the crack. But she stopped the moment she got to the door. It was closed, and knowing her parents, they would lock the door as soon as the entire family was inside. 'How am I supposed to go in?'

Gandalf chuckled. 'One of the advantages of the insubstantial form you have is that you may pass through anything, be it wood, glass, or solid metal. I believe that you can use that to your advantage at this moment.'

Knowing what he meant by that, Camille walked back a few steps from the door, then ran into it full-tilt. She expected to crash headlong into the wood and receive a resounding whack to the head, but it didn't happen. Instead, she went right THROUGH the door, and stumbled to a stop in the hallway of the house. She blinked, her eyes wide as she looked from the door to the hall and back again. _Whoa, that was creepy. Too creepy. _She turned to Gandalf's rather comforting presence in her head. 'Okay, what now?'

'I believe that is up to you, my dear,' Gandalf said. 'You know the interior of your home more than I do.'

Camille rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. _Oh yeah, right. _She walked down the hall quietly and into the living room, and then into the family room. She looked fondly at the TV, the computer, and the telephone. After doing so, she moved towards the small library that her family maintained. With a nostalgic sigh she fluttered a hand over the wide comfy sofa that she had claimed for herself when the library was made up, turning her attention then to the shelf that housed her books. Grinning, she looked at the titles and the authors. _Anne Rice, Alexandre Dumas, Dante, Homer, Michael Crichton, C.S. Lewis, James Gurney… "The Vampire Chronicles", "Lives of the Mayfair Witches", "The Narnia Chronicles", "The Iliad", "The Odyssey", "The Divine Comedy", "Lost World", "Dinotopia"… Dang, I'm going to miss these guys…_

After looking at the library one last time, she left the first floor, and decided to go up to the bedrooms. She slowly climbed the stairs, and the first door she went to was her room. Now she walked instead of ran through the door, and soon found herself standing in the familiar confines of her bedroom. Everything was the way she had left it: her bed still had the same sheets, blankets and pillows, all done up in the same sun-moon-star design that she so loved. Her shelves were still there, filled with all the strange knickknacks she had collected over the years. The scent of her room was the same too: still smelling like vanilla and lemon.

She shook her head. _Enough reminiscing. _She went out the door, and headed towards her sister's room. From inside, she could hear the sound of pages turning and paper crackling loudly as it was crumpled, and she knew that her sister was home. _Well, since Mom and Dad aren't home yet, I guess that I'm just going to have to leave a message with Max. _With this thought in mind, she sucked in a deep breath, let it out, and walked through the door and into the room.

Maxine, her little sister, didn't notice it at all when she entered. Well, Camille didn't open the door, so naturally Max wouldn't know about her entrance. She was sprawled on the bed, apparently working on some homework from school. Camille sighed. _Looks like I'm going to have to get her attention. _She strode over to her sister, leaned over, and whispered, "Yo Max."

She stood back, and watched with amusement as her little sister shrieked in surprise and jerked to look at her. When she saw her, another shriek tore itself from her throat, and she backed up against the bed. "Ohmigod, Cam's come back to haunt me…"

Camille shook her head. "No I haven't, stupe. I'm still alive!"

Max laughed nervously. "Yeah, right. Then what're you doing in a white dress and white shoes standing in front of me if you're still alive? And what's up with the glassy-spirit-like thing? All that's missing is the angel wings and halo!"

Camille grinned. "I always thought you considered me as a candidate for Top Usurper for the Leadership of Hell, but let's not go there. I'm still alive, but…I'm in a different world at the moment. My physical body isn't here, but somewhere else." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

Max nodded. "Oh yeah, sure I do! What you're trying to tell me is that you're dead, but you're alive technically cause your spirit is up in heaven, right?"

Camille resisted the urge to whack her sister on the head – even if she tried she wouldn't be able to do it anyway, since her insubstantial hand would go right through Max's head. "Max, chill, okay? I have quite a bit of explaining to do, but let me remind you that I – am – not – dead. Do you understand me?"

Max nodded, but eyed her warily, finally relaxing somewhat, but not enough. "Okay, I get it, but if you're still alive, what happened to you? Do you have any idea how long it has been since you and Eli went missing?!"

Camille sighed, and proceeded to explained everything to Max, who listened with dumbfounded amazement at the tale that poured from her older sister's lips. 

"And that's the whole story," Camille concluded, turning to her little sister. 

Up until that point, Max had been staring at her in utter surprise, but now she seemed to have collected herself, and managed to ask, "So you're in the middle of a war right now, a war that you and Eli are trying to fight, and that you've got these wicked magical powers." She grinned then. "Mind giving me a demonstration?"

_Can I do it here, _Camille wondered. Turning to Gandalf's presence in her mind, she asked, 'Hey Gandalf, can I do that here?'

'No you cannot, my dear,' Gandalf replied. 'In your world, your powers to do not exist. They only exist here in Middle-Earth. Thus, you cannot use your magic in your own world.'

Camille shook her head then at Max. "Sorry, no can do."

"Oh." There was slight disappointment when she said that, but she immediately perked up. "So, are you really getting married to this Legolas person?"

Camille blushed. _Oh jeez, I KNEW she was bound to ask that! _"Yeah, if we survive the war, that is. No certainties yet."

"I hope you remember that you're still under-aged. By law, you can't get married without parental consent, and I sure don't know how Mom and Dad will react when they find out that you're getting married to a guy who isn't even of the human race to begin with."

"Shut up Max. And as for being under-aged, we settled for a long engagement. We're getting married AFTER I turn eighteen. And if they got to meet Legolas, I don't think they'd have anything bad to say about him: he's handsome, he's smart, he's awfully sweet, AND he's a prince to boot! What more could they want for their darling daughter? Also, even if they didn't approve of him getting married to me, I don't think there's a lot they can do about it, since an entire dimension separates us, as you may have noticed."

Max laughed, and waved her hands around. "Okay, okay, relax Cam! I was just teasing you!" Her smile faded then as she looked at her older sister. "So I guess that means you're going away for good now, huh?"

"Yep, I am." Camille smiled comfortingly at her little sister. "Hey, don't you worry so much about it, okay? Think of it this way: wherever I am, you can be sure I'm happy. Things are a little uncertain as of the moment, but I'm going to do my very best to make sure that I make it out alive and in one piece."

"Hey, don't be so defensive!" Max exclaimed with a half-hearted laugh. She sighed, and brushed away a couple of tears. "I only wish Mom and Dad were here. They've been so worried about you…"

"And it's your duty to tell them that I'm okay," Camille said, and she felt the tears start falling. "I know it's going to make you sound crazy and all that, but it's the truth, right? Tell them everything I told you, tell them not to worry anymore and tell them…tell them I love them, and that I miss them so much. And I missed you too, Max. I'll always miss you."

Max nodded, her expression solemn in spite of her tears. "And I missed you too, Cam. I always will. Yeah, I'll tell Mom and Dad about your story, you can count on it." She paused for a moment, then, swallowing, she said, "Take care of yourself, okay? And be happy…with Legolas."

Camille choked back a sob, and nodded. "Yeah, I promise." She stepped back, willing Gandalf to take her back to Middle-Earth. "Goodbye, Max."

"Goodbye, Cam." Those were the last words Camille heard before she was whisked back into the darkness, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in the Healing Houses again, with Gandalf, Aragorn and Eli, and her hand slipped off the Palantir that Aragorn held. She touched her cheek, and smiled wryly when she felt that it was wet. _Well, that's it, my goodbyes are over and done with… Max, I'll miss you forever…_ She turned to Eli then, and smiled halfheartedly. "Your turn."

*      *      *

Eli's eyelids shut, her eyes flickering behind them as she struggled to focus on her family. She smirked involuntarily. _Family? What family? The only family I've ever had is Camille and my uncles and aunts and my little sister. No Daddy, no Mommy, and no Big Brother to turn to… Just me and Camille and Julie and Max. They're my family. _

'Eli, you may open your eyes now,' said Gandalf in her head.

Eli did as she was told, and found herself standing in front of a huge, sprawling mansion, with high wrought iron gates and a huge lock on the gate itself. 'Eh, Gandalf, how am I going to get through HERE? The security at my house is top-of-the-line; not even a rat could get past that without getting noticed.'

Gandalf sighed. 'Your form is insubstantial, as I said. You may walk right through anything without any trouble. Now, try and see it for yourself.'

Eli rolled her eyes. _Right. _She took a deep breath, and strode forward in quick steps towards the gate, closing her eyes and waiting for the impact. When it didn't come, she stopped, and opened her eyes. She realized that she was now standing inside the expansive courtyard that led towards the main part of the house. She looked back, and saw that the gates were still there, untouched. _Whoa, spooky. _She turned then towards the main entrance of the mansion, walking down the courtyard on much-too-quiet feet. When she got to the door, she walked right through it, and entered a massive foyer with a high ceiling and some elegant gilt furniture here and there. High above her head dangled a massive crystal chandelier, and the light of the afternoon sun streaked through the faceted glass and left glimmering rainbows across any surface nearby. Right in front of her was a large staircase that arched upwards towards the second floor.

But she ignored the staircase for the meantime, and headed towards the living room. She smiled slightly when she entered it, remembering all the good times she had spent there when her family was still whole, when her father hadn't gone abroad to work, when her mother hadn't been so interested in her charity work, and when her older brother hadn't been so caught up with his girlfriend. They had been the vision of the perfect family then. She shook her head, and turned away. _Good things don't always last, not in this world, at least. And even in Middle-Earth, everything that I know and love is being threatened. _

However, she had the power to stop the thing that was threatening to take away everything she had in Middle-Earth, and that heartened her. She looked around the ground floor again, walking past her father's study, the library, and the massive garden behind the house. Now she proceeded back to the main hall, going down the Picture Corridor, as she liked to call it. On the walls were hung many old portraits and paintings, most of them pictures of her ancestors on her father's side. She looked at their faces as she passed. _Everything that I know I'm leaving behind for good, _she mused. _But I guess that doesn't matter. If I survive the war, then I'm going to live a new and better life in Middle-Earth. And if I don't, then I guess it doesn't matter, since I'm going to leave all this behind anyway. _

She had now exited the Picture Corridor, and had started to go up the staircase. She considered going to her room and having a last look around, but decided against it, heading instead to her little sister's room. __

_Julie…_ Though the two of them were always getting on each other's nerves for many various reasons, they could not deny that they were still similar in many ways. They both had the same acidic tongues that they applied to almost any situation; the same piercing hawk-like hazel eyes; and the ability to sense if the other was nearby. Their tie to each other was strong, and could not be broken even, perhaps, in death.

Eli floated through the door of Julie's room, and found it the same as always: huge curtained four-poster bed in one side of the wall; soft springy carpet beneath her feet; the elegant dressing table to one side of the room; and the light lace curtains that Julie so loved.

"I figured you'd come along sooner or later."

Eli turned to the sound of the voice, and found Julie staring at her from her study table with a half-smile on her face. "What do you mean, you figured out I'm come along sooner or later?"

Julie gestured to the phone that stood on the smooth wood surface of her desk. "Max called me a while ago, said something about Cam coming back to visit her, and she kept on babbling something about you and her going to another world and all that. Now that you're here, could you please explain everything to me?"

And so Eli launched into the story of everything that had gone on with her while she was in Middle-Earth, describing all that she could in the best way she knew how. Julie just listened, nodding every now and then whenever she thought it proper. She got a particularly worried look in her eyes when she heard of Eli's ordeal in the Paths of the Dead and of her nightmare, but was relieved when she heard about Elrohir.

At the end of it all, Julie smiled. "Seems to me like you got yourself a pretty fine catch of a man – I mean, Elf. That's the first time I've seen you fall in love."

"You didn't see it cause you weren't there," Eli threw back. But she smiled as well. "Yeah, I have to admit, this is the first time I've ever fallen this hard. I never thought it'd be possible, but…hey, there's a first time for everything, right?"

"Got that right." Julie sighed, and stared at her older sister wistfully. "I wish I could come with you, Eli. I want to see all the things that you've told me about – Rivendell, Lothlorien, even Moria. I want to meet Elrond, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel, Arwen, and most especially Elladan and Elrohir. I want to find out how the hell that last guy managed to get to you in the end."

Eli threw glared at her sister. "Shut your trap about my boyfriend, Jules."

"Boyfriend?! Is that all he is to you?! From the way you talk about him, I thought he was your fiancé!"

Eli rolled her eyes. "You're starting to talk like Camille."

"Oh yeah, she's getting married already, right? To that Legolas guy!" Julie exclaimed, remembering. "Lucky girl…gets married to a Prince! And what's Elrohir's rank?"

"Son of Lord Elrond Peredhil and one of the heirs of Rivendell," Eli answered. "Being one of Elrond's kids is a high-enough honor in itself. And don't talk about him like that! If anything he's got a higher position than Legolas. Just because he's got the title 'Lord' instead of 'Prince' doesn't mean that he's lower in rank than Legolas. And besides, rank doesn't matter to the Elves anyway!"

Julie raised her hands defensively. "Okay, okay, I get the point! Jeez, you didn't have to be so defensive about it!" She sighed. "I'm going to miss that, you know. You and me arguing all the time."

"Yeah, I sure will, too," Eli said quietly. "I'm going to miss everything about you – in spite of the fact that you are my little sister and thus have a natural tendency to hate me."

Julie smiled slightly. "Yeah, same here. Though there are times when I just want to strangle you, there are times when I simply adore you as well." She bowed her head, and swiped her hand across her eyes momentarily. "Dang it, you're the only older sister I've got! The only family I ever had…"

"You've got to be strong, Jules," Eli said, her voice coming out a little hoarsely because of the lump that was starting to form in her throat. "We don't exactly have a Mom and a Dad and a Big Brother to turn to anymore, do we?"

"And that's why losing you is going to hurt all the more! I mean, I don't have my parents and my brother anymore, and then I'm going to lose you, the only person I ever considered to be my true family?!"

"That's why you've got to be strong. And besides, you aren't alone, right? Max will be there, and so will Uncle Jessie and Auntie Susan and Grandma Akiko and Grandpa Kenji… You still have someone to turn to. Maybe not our parents or our older brother, but at least they can do better." Eli smiled a little, the tears coming down now. "And I'm not dead yet, Jules. I'm still alive…just in another place. Maybe someday, somehow, you'll go to Middle-Earth and see what it's like here…but not now. You just have to be patient."

Julie laughed slightly, and looked up, her own cheeks tear-stained. "Well, I just hope it happens in THIS lifetime." She looked at Eli sadly. "I wish I could hug you, but I guess I can't, judging from the way you look."

Eli shook her head. "Nope, you can't, unfortunately." _Damn the Palantir and Gandalf's spell! Couldn't he have done something that would let me turn solid when I wanted to?! _She stepped away from Julie, and smiled sadly. "I don't have a lot of time left anymore, Julie. I have to go back now."

"Oh. I guess this is it, then." Julie smiled slightly, in spite of the tears that came falling down her face. "Take care, Eli! And…please…be happy."

Eli nodded, nearly choking when she spoke. "I promise, Jules. I'll be happy…for the both of us." She lifted a hand slightly. "Bye Julie."

"Bye Eli. I'll miss you." And with that, Eli closed her eyes, and felt herself being pulled out of the world and back to Middle-Earth. 

When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring at Aragorn and Gandalf through tear-misted eyes. She sighed, and pulled her hand away from the Palantir. She gazed at it for a while before Aragorn replaced the cloth over it. "I'll miss you too, Julie."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Erm…was this pointless? I don't really know if it was or not.  But one thing's for sure: it's definitely DRAMATIC!!! Sorry, I'm a sucker for these tearful farewell things. Always get to me, ya know? Oh well, for those of you who don't exactly appreciate this sort of thing, I'm sorry. I just thought that it'd go pretty well with the rest of the story. ANYWAY, let's move on with this already long tome! The hosts of the Captains of the West ride out of Minas Tirith to Mount Doom, bent on challenging Sauron for the fate of Middle-Earth. Watch what happens as they head to Mordor for the final battle, the battle on which rests the fate of all. See you there!!


	47. Chapter Forty-six: Guerilla Warfare - Mi...

Chapter Forty-Six: Guerilla Warfare – Middle-Earth Style 

"So you are truly going."

Merry watched as Eli turned to him, a sad smile on her face. "Yup Merry, we really are."

"Why must you then? Your powers would be more important here, in the use of the defense of Gondor!" Merry exclaimed desperately, trying to get at least Eli and Camille to stay. _I do not wish to be left all alone here in Gondor! I want to go out there and fight with them and Pippin and Legolas and Gandalf and Aragorn and Gimli! _

Camille sighed then, and approached, kneeling down so that they were looking at each other eye-to-eye. She was clad again in her armor, the many rubies set into it glinting in the morning sunlight. "Merry, we know that you don't like being left behind here while all of us go out to fight in Mordor, but Aragorn says that our powers are more needed in the frontlines than here. And I'm inclined to agree with him. Should something go wrong, Eli and I can use our powers as the Summoners and attempt to keep Sauron back, or defeat him completely. But I'm not really sure about defeating him completely though…"

"We'll hold him back for as long as we can, Merry," Eli said comfortingly as she too knelt in front of him. She smiled, and hugged him, Camille doing the same thing.

Merry could not help it. He reached out, and held onto their necks, tears burning his eyes. He was truly going to miss them, and all his other friends as well. _But what if they do not come back? What if they do not make it through the fight? What if…what if they are slain? _"I will truly miss you," he whispered then. "You may not be from this world, but you are a lot better than most of the other Big People I have met during our travels."

Camille laughed softly as she drew away from him, ruffling his hair gently. "That's probably the best compliment I've heard yet, Merry. Thank you. And I'll miss you too, that's for sure. Stay out of trouble while we're gone, alright?"

"I will, I promise." _Though you might not come back to see me ever again._

"We're going to do the best we can to bring Sauron down, Merry," Eli said solemnly. "That's a promise. If we can't bring him down, then at least we'll come back and get you, then we can all go together, friends till the very end." 

Merry nodded, smiling a little in spite of the tears that threatened to fall. _I know the reality of the peril they are going into, and I am glad that she would come back for me so that we might all go down together. _"I thank you for that promise, Eli. I would really like that."

Eli smiled, and squeezed his hand tightly. "Take care of yourself while Camille and I are gone, okay?" She stood up then, for Camille had already gone ahead of her to where their horses waited. She paused in the middle of her tracks, and turned around to look at him. She smiled. "I'm honored to have met you, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and I'm even more honored to be your friend. Goodbye." With that, she spun on her heel, and jogged off towards where the others were waiting.

Merry went up onto the wall, waiting for the army to pass out of Minas Tirith on their way to Mordor. Bergil joined him, and together, the Hobbit and the boy watched and waited in silence. Up near the front with Aragorn and Gandalf he could see Legolas and Gimli, seated on one horse together like the friends they were; the sons of Elrond appeared calm as they gazed towards the east; Camille and Eli looked truly regal from where they sat on their horses between the sons of Elrond; and Pippin was a small but upright figure amongst the tall Men of Minas Tirith.

At last the trumpets rang and the army began to move. Troop by troop, and company by company, they wheeled and went off eastward.

As they were moving off, Bergil said, "Master Peregrin did not tell me that you were friends of the two noble Battle Maidens who ride off to war today with King Elfstone."

Merry glanced at the boy, curious. "Pippin did not tell you of Camille and Eli?"

"No, he did not," Bergil answered. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the remainder of the army disappear into the rising sun. "I had heard rumors of them from the Rohirrim, who spoke very highly of them, and of their great powers. They claimed that it was the Battle Maidens who called forth the fiery bird and the dragon that day on the Pelennor Fields, when the black ships drew up to the shore."

Merry nodded. "Yes, that was them, there is not doubt about it. Only they can accomplish something like that."

Bergil nodded in response to Merry's words. "Indeed. Ioreth, one of the old healers in the Houses of Healing, claims that it was one of them who brought the healing winds of the west but two nights ago, and that it aided in the lifting of the Black Shadow from those who were afflicted by it."

"Yes, that would be Eli then," Merry answered. "She has the capacity to control the winds and the water, making them do her bidding. Camille, on the other hand, can bend the earth and the flames to her will." He absently rubbed his right arm, remembering how Camille had treated it.

Bergil turned to him then, a small smile on his face. "I saw them enter the city, after the battle on the Fields. They carried themselves as mighty queens from a distant land, but when I looked more closely, I realized that they were young, very young indeed."

Merry nodded. "That is true. They ARE young: just three years older than you yourself, Bergil, for you are but fourteen years of age, and they are only seventeen."

Now the smile on Bergil's face became wider. "Come, Master Perian!" said the lad. "You are still in pain, I see. I will help you back to the Healers. And while you are there, would you tell me of the Battle Maidens? I would so love to hear whatever stories you may have of them."

Merry smiled at last, and followed Bergil willingly. "Gladly, Bergil. And there are many stories I have to tell you…"

*      *      *

The sun had reached its zenith when they arrived at Osgiliath. Camille looked at the scene around her as workers and craftsmen ran hither and thither on various errands. Some were strengthening the ferries and boat-bridges that the enemy had made and in part destroyed when they fled; some gathered stores and booty; and others on the eastern side across the River were throwing up hasty works of defense. 

_This city is a real wreck, _she mused as they passed on through the ruins of Old Gondor and over the wide River, and on up a long straight road. According to Elladan, who was riding to her left, that in the high days of Gondor the road ran from the fair Tower of the Sun to the tall Tower of the Moon, which now was Minas Morgul in its accursed vale.

When they were five miles outside of Osgiliath, Aragorn called a halt, thus ending their first day's march. But he sent horsemen ahead of them to secure and scout out the paths they might take on their way to Mordor.

"How are you faring so far," Legolas asked as he approached her while she dismounted from Blackwing.

Camille smiled as she turned to him, allowing him to take her hands in his. "Pretty good. We haven't exactly been attacked yet, so I think that's a good sign." She inclined her head a little to look at him. "And what are you so edgy for? We aren't even IN Mordor yet, for heaven's sake!"

The Elf sighed, and shook his head. "Aye, I know that I am a little nervous, but…I cannot help it." He let go of her hands, and instead wrapped his arms around her, embracing her as best as their armor would allow. ^I fear for you, my love,^ he whispered. ^We go now to war, and most likely to our deaths. I wish to spend each passing minute I have with you, for I fear that death shall soon separate us both.^

Camille sighed, and returned his embrace, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against the part of his shoulder that wasn't covered with armor. _He doesn't know how closely he hits home,_ she thought wryly. _We're both on a suicide mission, and we're not sure if we're both going to make it out alive. _"I know Legolas. And if it helps to say so, I'm scared too. Really, really scared. Scared that we're going to fail, scared that I'm not going to make it out, scared that YOU'RE not going to make it out… There are so many other scary things going through my head right now that I can't tell you all of them in one go."

Legolas sighed as well, and drew away from her, pressing his lips lightly against hers momentarily. "Then I pray that the Valar will grant us success." He smiled, and stepped away from her. "Now I believe that I must leave you alone for the meantime. Eli is calling for you."

Sure enough, Eli's voice finally came sailing to her ears, and she sighed. _If Eli's shouting like that, it's probably important. _

She waited until her best friend was in front of her, and opened her mouth to ask what it was, but Eli beat her to it. "Camille, Aragorn's calling us to this meeting with the other captains."

Camille raised an eyebrow. "Eh? What for? They didn't need us during the first meeting while we were in Gondor; why should we be there this time?"

"Beats me," Eli answered with a shrug. "But it'll help us a lot if I know what the plan is in advance."

"I suppose you're right." That said, the two girls made their way through the camp to the tent where Aragorn and the rest of the Captains of the West had gathered. When they entered the tent, they heard Gandalf say, "…and that is the reason why we should not attempt to retake Minas Morgul, not at this time, at the very least."

"What's all the furor about?" Camille asked as she and Eli ducked into the tent.

Aragorn looked up at them when he heard Eli's voice, and smiled. "Ah, you have arrived." He gestured to the map that lay on the table in front of them. "Prince Imrahil suggested that we take Minas Morgul now, but Gandalf is against that motion, saying that according to Faramir, Frodo attempted to go that way on his mission to Mount Doom."

"But if we do not secure Minas Morgul," said Imrahil, "then it is more than likely that our passage to the northern gate of Mordor will be hindered. I am quite certain that the troops of Sauron will attempt to stop us when we reach the Crossroads that lie near Minas Morgul."

Eli shook her head. "Sorry Prince Imrahil, but I have to agree with Gandalf. We'd best draw Sauron's attention away from Minas Morgul."

"And our troops cannot survive the deep blackness and terror that lie in that vale," Gandalf added. "They would lose themselves to madness before we even reached Barad-dur."

_But if that's the case, what're we going to do? _During the lull in conversation, Camille turned her attention to the map. Fortunately most of the features on the map had been marked, and she could tell right away where Minas Morgul was, and where the Crossroads lay. _Hmm, looks like there's lots of trees around here…_ Suddenly, an idea hit her. "I think I have an idea. Maybe we could position a couple of sniper units in the trees here."

*      *      *

Eli blinked when she heard Camille's suggestion. _What? She actually plans to use SNIPER units?! They don't get that kind of training here!! _ "Sniper units? Camille, this isn't the time for guerilla warfare…"

"No, I'm serious, it just might work," Camille said. She called Eli's attention to the area she was pointing at. "You see this place here? That's all trees – how thick is the cover here?"

"Quite thick, My Lady, but may I ask just what are you-" Imrahil began.

Camille cut him off immediately. "How thick? Thick enough that we can hide a couple of men in them?"

"Perhaps so."

Eli stared at the map for a moment, contemplating. "I don't know… You think the archers here can pull it off? Remember, sniping with a rifle is TOTALLY different from doing it with a longbow. And I don't think they're trained for this sort of thing."

"I figured as much," Camille replied with a nod, "but I think they can pull it off. A bow might not have the same rapidity of fire as a rifle, but a bow is silent, and I guess that's what counts in this situation. And as for the training…all they have to know is how to keep quiet and fire a bow." 

"Rapidity of fire is going to be crucial here," Eli said as she tapped the map, "especially with that plan you want to put up."

"Rapidity of fire isn't going to matter. If they're quiet, they can get more shots in," Camille answered.

Eli sighed, and squinted at the map. "Maybe…but you think there'll be archers willing to pull through with that? Cause I bet that it'd be hard for these guys to sit up in trees with longbows…"

"Excuse me," Aragorn said at that moment, and Eli looked to him. "What is this plan that you are talking about? We do not understand what you seem to have in mind."

Camille laughed, and shook her head. "Oh, sorry everyone! We kind of forgot you don't know what we're talking about. Basically what I want to do is what we call in our world guerilla warfare: fighting your enemies by taking them by surprise and without being seen.

"What I planned was to have some archers up in the trees around the Crossroads, and they'll stay there until they sight the enemy. When they do, they start firing but they don't give up their positions. That's what we call sniping: attacking the enemy from a hidden position with a long-range weapon."

Eli shook her head as she crossed her arms. "But that plan isn't completely foolproof. First of all, longbows are hard to use in a tree. And second, Camille might be thinking that firing a bow has the same rapidity of fire as a rifle. A rifle is a weapon in our world that falls under the classification of guns. Those are special machine-type weapons that have an explosive-like property, allowing the user to fire a small piece of metal called a bullet into a target. Depending on which part of the body is hit, getting fired at with a gun can spell instant death to the victim."

Camille grinned. "But a bow is quiet, not like a gun, which sends out an explosive blast when fired; it's too loud, basically. So the advantage of a bow's silence will work in the plan."

Gandalf, who had been silent for the most part, spoke up then. "So what Camille intends to do is put some archers here," he indicated the wooded area around the Crossroads, "and should the enemy approach us, they will simply fire at them?"

"Yeah, that's about it in a nutshell," Camille replied. "The archers will stay up in the trees, so that they can cover more ground and fire while still remaining hidden. The snipers – the archers who will stay up in the trees – will be able to pick off a good number of enemies before the main troop reaches us. By then, we'd be more than prepared."

Aragorn was silent for a long while, thinking it over. After a moment, he spoke. "It does seem like a clever plan," he said, "but it will be a little difficult to execute. Eli was right when she said that attempting to fire a longbow in a tree would be an awkward undertaking…but I believe that it can be done. We only need to choose the right people for the task."

Eli could only smile in slight exasperation as Aragorn started giving out orders. She glanced at Camille, who was busy discussing the merits of guerilla warfare with Imrahil. _I sure hope this plan of yours works, Camille…_

"You do not seem confident of Camille's suggestion," Gandalf said as he gazed at her with an analytical eye.

Eli smirked. "You should see Camille's track record when it comes to plans. If it weren't for her oh-so-brilliant suggestion to take the shortcut through the woods, then we wouldn't be here."

Gandalf smiled. "True, but if that happened, then you would not have the pleasure of knowing such extraordinary persons as Aragorn, or Elrond…neither would you have gotten the chance to meet Elrohir."

Eli sighed, knowing the Wizard had hit a soft spot. "Yeah, I suppose…"

Gandalf chuckled, and gave a knowing nod. "Sometimes, the greatest of victories are borne from the strangest and oftentimes most radical of plans. And most of life's greatest pleasures derive themselves from one kind of accident or another. So though you might think that Camille's plan will not work, you cannot truly judge it until it is tried."

Eli smiled back, seeing the wisdom in Gandalf's words. _He's right. After all, if Camille hadn't decided to take the shortcut through the woods, we wouldn't be here right now. We wouldn't have met Gandalf, Frodo, Bilbo, Aragorn, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Sam, Thranduil, Elrond, Arwen… Camille wouldn't have met Legolas… And I wouldn't have met Elrohir, in which case I wouldn't have fallen in love. I could be leading a normal, boring life, not knowing the difference between sleepwalking and LIVING life…but I've been given this chance, a chance to actually MAKE a difference…and build a new and better life. _

Aragorn dismissed the archers then, who went off ahead of them to do whatever it was Aragorn had told them to do. He glanced at those who had gathered, and smiled. "Now then, My Lords and Ladies, I believe that we need to rest and prepare for our march tomorrow. You are dismissed."

*      *      *

The day after, being the third day since they set out from Minas Tirith, the army began its northward march along the road. It was some hundred miles by that way from the Crossroads to the Morannon, and what might befall them before they came so far none knew. They went openly but heedfully, with mounted scouts before them on the road, and others on foot upon either side, especially on the eastward flank; for there lay dark thickets, and a tumbled land of rocky ghylls and crags, behind which the long grim slope of the Ephel Duath clambered up. The weather of the world remained fair, and the wind held in the west, but nothing could waft away the glooms and the sad mists that clung about the Mountains of Shadow; and behind them at whiles great smokes would arise and hover in the upper winds.

Such were the state of things, as Elrohir observed them, as they continued their journey to Sauron's fortress. He sighed as he looked up to the cloudy sky. _I wish that there would be but a bit of sunlight to illuminate this drab day. _He moved his gaze from the sky, and almost immediately it focused on Eli, who was riding between him and Camille. 

He had not been present at the meeting Aragorn called the day before, but Elladan had been there to hear everything. And later on in the day, Eli told him everything that transpired at the debate. A small smile formed on his face as he recalled what he and his beloved had discussed the previous evening…

~      ~      ~

Elrohir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "And Camille is certain that this…sniping tactic…will work at the Crossroads should it be necessary?"

"I don't really know," Eli answered as she carefully worked her fingers through her hair to get out the tangles that had formed in the locks while they were traveling. She turned to him then, her eyes curious. "Question: is it hard to use a longbow while up in a tree?"

Elrohir blinked, slightly surprised at the question, but decided to simply answer it. "It depends on the archer, I suppose. The Elves of Mirkwood and Lothlorien can wield their bows quite skillfully from the treetops, for it is a tactic they frequently use in guarding their borders. But Legolas is the only Mirkwood archer we have…and we have no Lothlorien archers amongst us. I am not sure whether the bowmen Aragorn chose for the mission can shoot arrows while perched on branches…but if he has confidence in their skill, then I think that we must have confidence in them as well."

Eli nodded, and fell silent. Elrohir watched her as she rid herself of her armor, and then, quite suddenly, come running up to him on light feet, crossing the tent in a few swift strides, to throw her arms around him in an embrace.

His beloved sighed, and pressed her cheek against his chest. "I love you, Elrohir. I really, really love you."

Elrohir sighed, and returned Eli's embrace, pressing her gently against him. She never failed to elicit the most tender of feelings in him, to draw out emotions that he normally kept hidden. He dropped a kiss on top of her head, inhaling the delicate scent of her hair. ^And I you, my love, and I you.^

Eli smiled then, closing her eyes as she placed her hands on his forearms. "You know, when I complained about the possibility of this whole plan going wrong, Gandalf told me that sometimes, we don't exactly know whether a plan is wrong or right unless we try it. He said that it's the same thing about life. We never know where the road will take us unless we walk it. 

"But either way, I'm glad everything's happened to me the way it has. I don't regret anything I've done so far, cause if I changed anything, then I wouldn't have met you, and I wouldn't have known what it feels like to be in love."

This caused a surge of emotions in Elrohir. _She has given up her life, her world, everything she knows…only to be with me. _He gently tilted her head up, gazing down into her clear hazel eyes. ^Sometimes, I feel that I am not worthy of this love you give to me. For verily, you have given up your family, your friends, your entire world…and bound yourself to me in love.^

Eli shook her head, and smiled. ^You are more than worthy, Elrohir. To you I would surrender myself entirely, body, mind, and soul… If only to have moments such as these, to stay in your arms even as the world falls apart around us, to have even the smallest kiss from your lips…^

Elrohir chuckled. ^Now that is something I would give easily.^ So saying, he bent his head, and captured Eli's lips in a soft, seeking kiss. She responded to it in her own way, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer.

But he knew when to stop. With a soft sigh, he drew away from her, acknowledging the soft whisper of pleasure that escaped Eli's lips. If he had not resisted temptation and gone further, he knew that they would have ended up in Eli's cot at the back of the tent… He smiled as he drew away from her, heading to the door of the tent. ^Sleep well, beloved. May the dark dreams not come to you tonight.^

The smile that she flashed in his direction as he left was more than enough to have him dreaming of her the rest of the night.

~      ~      ~

TWANG!!!

"Ugh!!"

THUD!!

Elrohir snapped out of his thoughts at that moment. _What…? _They had arrived at the Crossroads, and just like they expected, a strong force of Orcs and Easterlings attacked them in what was supposed to be an ambush. However, thanks to the advance warning of the scouts and the archers that were positioned in the ring of trees around the Crossroads, the force was defeated quickly and easily, with no casualties on the side of the Captains of the West.

But Aragorn would not let his guard down. "It is but a feint," he said as they proceeded with their journey, "and its chief purpose, I deem, was rather to draw us on with a false guess of our Enemy's weakness than to do us much hurt, yet."

Even as evening drew closer and hovered over them like a dark veil, they would not stop moving. _We must make haste now to Mordor, _Elrohir knew, _else the Enemy might lay a better trap for us while we are out here._

Beside him, Eli shivered again, and Elrohir realized that it was not of the cold. Reaching out to clasp her hand, he asked, ^What is the matter, my love?^

Eli glanced at him, then at the sky. "Nazgul… They're up there, somewhere, but I can't see them."

Elrohir followed her gaze to the heavens, and his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of several large shapes flying between the clouds, occasionally blocking out the light of the moon when they passed over its face. _So we are being watched. _

"I am afraid that we are already betrayed to the Enemy," Aragorn said with a sigh. "He already knows our numbers, and all those who come forth to challenge him."

Gandalf shook his head. "True, he may know how many men we have with us and WHO rides among us, but he does not know yet the true strength we possess. He knows our strength in numbers, and he may make preparations against that, but in terms of TRUE strength, he knows nothing. Take heart, Aragorn. We may yet win this fight in the end."

"I pray that you are right Gandalf," Aragorn said hopefully. "I pray that you are right."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew, done!! This is another useless interlude thing, but hey, I had fun writing it, especially the part wherein Camille and Eli are talking about guerilla tactics, and, of course, the fluff scene of Elrohir and Eli ^_^. Those two are just so ridiculously sweet!!!! Naughty, naughty Elrohir!!! And I had hoped that you would be a little more decent than Legolas ^_~. ANYWAY, let's move on!! Looks like we're drawing closer to the Final Battle cheers!!! Of course, writing this last fight gave me a MASSIVE headache winces, but for you, my dear readers and reviewers, I am willing to  suffer this excruciating pain, if only to live up to the standards of your discriminating tastes ^_~.  Get thee to the next chapter, dear friends!! See you reaches for the bottle of aspirin!!!!

A CHALLENGE: To all you fic writers out there who can do NC-17 material, here's a challenge you might like. Since I lack the ability to write good NC-17 scenes for this fic (believe me, I HAVE tried grimaces), I decided to let YOU do it for me ^_^. This is how it goes: write an NC-17 scene for this fic for the pairings that appear here (Legolas/Camille, Boromir/Camille, Elrohir/Eli, Elladan/Eli, or do a three-way and go Elrohir/Eli/Elladan). You can use ANY situation that appears in the fic ("first night" wedding scenes are also welcome), and you can write as many as you want for one or both pairings, as long as it is perceived to be possible in the context of the story. Hint: there was an opportunity for Elrohir and Eli in this chapter ^_~. Once you've typed it up, please **COPY AND PASTE IT INTO YOUR EMAIL** and send it to: ladyharley2002@hotmail.com with the subject "Lost Chapters". **I WILL ONLY ACCEPT FICS WITH THAT TITLE IN THE SUBJECT**. Also, please place which particular chapter it fits in, or if it's a wedding night scene. The prize? No money, unfortunately, but when I finish the fic, I will be putting up your stories in a little collection I shall call "The Lost Chapters". Of course, I will give you full credit for whatever work you have written. In lieu of this, please place your pen name in the email when submitting. I will be accepting works from June 11, 2002 up to June 26, 2002. That should be more than enough time for you people, right? Well then, if you think you can meet this challenge, good luck, and may the Valar bless your pen and inspiration! Au revoir!!!


	48. Chapter Forty-seven: The Final Stand of ...

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Final Stand of the Captains of the West 

It was the morning of the sixth day since they marched from Minas Morgul, and it was growing cold. As morning came the wind stirred again, but it was coming from the north, and soon it freshened to a rising breeze. Before the companies of the Captains of the West now loomed the great rampart of Cirith Gorgor, and the Black Gate amidmost, and the two Towers of the Teeth tall and dark on either side.

Camille stared at the two vast iron doors of the Black Gate under its frowning black arch, frowning right back at it. The battlefield before them was completely empty. All was silent but watchful. And for the first time, the shadow of doubt started to float through her mind. _There is absolutely no way we could ever HOPE to get through that, _she thought as she stared at the field. _The only way we could get through that is if had an entire army force from our world, complete with tanks and airplanes, and all of them carrying nuclear weapons. _They had arrived at last, and there was no turning back.

Aragorn started to set up their army as best as he could, spreading them over two great hills of blasted stone and earth that the Orcs had piled in years of labor. Camille and Eli stayed with Gandalf, and with them were the twins and Legolas and Gimli. Aragorn stood on the other hill with Prince Imrahil and Eomer. When all was ordered, the Captains rode forth towards the Black Gate with a great guard of horsemen and the banner and heralds and trumpeters. Camille rode on Gandalf's right, while Eli took up the space on his left. With them went Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Pippin, Elladan, Elrohir, Eomer and Imrahil, so that all the enemies of Mordor should have a witness.

They came within cry of the Morannon, and unfurled the banner, and blew upon their trumpets; and the heralds stood out and sent their voices up over the battlement of Mordor.

"Come forth!" they cried. "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Justice shall be done upon him. For wrongfully he has made war upon Gondor and wrested its lands. Therefore the King of Gondor demands that he should atone for his evils, and depart then forever. Come forth!"

The silence that followed this cry was deafening. No sound or response came from the Black Tower. But after a long moment of waiting, the great rolling of drums pounded like thunder in Camille's ears, and the Black Gate clanged open. Out of it rode an embassy from Mordor.

Camille looked down with scorn at the chosen ambassador. _HE'S the guy who's supposed to negotiate for Sauron's side? _The rider was mounted upon a black horse, and was robed all in black with a tall black helm. He was definitely not a Ringwraith – Camille couldn't sense anything from him – but a living man. 

He drew up just in front of them. "I am the Mouth of Sauron," he announced.

Aside, so that he wouldn't hear, Camille muttered. "Mouth of Sauron, eh? Let me go over there and I'll shove a knuckle sandwich down his throat. Or better yet, a knuckle sandwich AND a sock." 

Eli jabbed her hard in the ribs for that comment.

"Is there anyone in this rout with authority to treat with me?" he asked. "Or indeed with wit to understand me? Not thou at least!" he mocked, turning to Aragorn with scorn. "It needs more to make a king than a piece of Elvish glass, or a rabble such as this. Why, any brigand of the hills can show as good a following!"

_But can they show as STRONG a following?_ Camille thought, annoyed and irritated. _Remember bub, there're more than just MEN in this following. You've got two Summoners who are just SO ready to kick butt and drive both you and your master right out of Mordor, if not right out of Middle-Earth. _

Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. "I am a herald and an ambassador, and may not be assailed!" he cried.

"Where such laws hold," said Gandalf, "it is also the custom for ambassadors to use less insolence. But no one has threatened you. You have naught to fear from us, until your errand is done. But unless your master has come to new wisdom then with all his servants you will be in great peril."

"So!" said the Messenger. "Then thou art the spokesman, old graybeard? Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings, ever hatching plots and mischief at a safe distance? But this time thou hast stuck thy out thy nose too far, Master Gandalf; and thou shalt see what comes to him who sets foolish webs before the feet of Sauron the Great." 

He focused his gaze to Camille and Eli, and laughed suddenly. "So, you bring women to war with you now?! You have stooped so low as to bring these women with you to battle?!"

"We are not just 'women', Mouth of Sauron," Eli said coldly. "Tell thy Master to read the ancient prophecies – if he even reads at all. Recall the words spoken by the prophets of long ago! Remember the prophecy that claims the appearance of two maidens called the Summoners, who held great power in their command, power so great that it matched that of the Dark Lord himself. Before thee now stands the fulfillment of that prophecy."

The Mouth of Sauron was silent for a moment, then answered, "Ah, so thou art those two witches at Rohan and Gondor. Do not make claims thou cannot fulfill, witch! It takes more than two petty witches to overthrow Sauron the Great." He smirked then. "I have tokens that I was bidden to show to thee – to thee and Gandalf in especial, if thou shouldst dare to come."  He signed to one of his guards, and he came forward bearing a bundle swathed in black cloths.

Camille's blood instantly ran cold when the cloths were pulled back, revealing what lay beneath them. The Mouth of Sauron held up first the short sword that Sam carried, and next a gray cloak with an Elven-brooch, and last the coat of mithril-mail Frodo had worn wrapped in his tattered garments. _No way…NO WAY…_

Pippin sprang forward then with a cry from where he stood behind Prince Imrahil, but Gandalf held him back. "Silence!" said the Wizard sternly, thrusting him back; but the Messenger laughed aloud.

"So you have yet another of those imps with you!" he cried. "What use you find in them I cannot guess; but to send them as spies into Mordor is beyond even your accustomed folly. Still, I thank him, for it is plain that this brat at least has seen these tokens before, and it would be fain for you to deny them now."

Analyzing his words carefully, Camille realized something dreadfully important. _Sauron doesn't know where the Ring is yet. If he had, then maybe the Messenger wouldn't have said the term 'spies' but 'bearers of gifts'. There's still enough reason to hope! _

Gandalf continued speaking. "I do not wish to deny them," he said. "Indeed, I know them all and all their history, and despite your scorn, foul Mouth of Sauron, you cannot say as much. But why do you bring them here?"

"Dwarf-coat, Elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire – here are the marks of a conspiracy. Now maybe he that bore these things was a creature that you would not grieve to lose, and maybe otherwise: one dear to you, perhaps? If so, take swift counsel with what little wit is left to you. For Sauron does not love spies, and what his fate shall be depends now on your choice."

Camille kept her mouth completely clammed shut, and kept a straight poker face. When she noticed that the others were looking quite anguished, she went that way too, slowly dissolving her straight face so that the Mouth of Sauron didn't notice it. _If I give away anything, even through my facial expression, were going to be SO doomed. _

The Mouth of Sauron cackled again. "Good, good!" he said. "He was dear to you, I see. Or else his errand was one that you did not wish to fail? It has. And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and as slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done. This shall surely be unless you accept my Lord's terms."

"Name the terms," said Gandalf steadily, but Camille noticed the anguish in his face. _Don't worry Gandalf, _she thought. _Everything's going to be okay. The Ring hasn't been found…yet._

"These are the terms," said the Messenger, and smiled as he eyed them one by one. "The rabble of Gondor and its deluded allies shall withdraw at once beyond the Anduin, first taking oaths never again to assail Sauron the Great in arms, open or secret. All lands east of the Anduin shall be Sauron's forever, solely. West of the Anduin as far as the Misty Mountains and the Gap of Rohan shall be tributary to Mordor, and men there shall bear no weapons, but shall have leave to govern their own affairs. But they shall help to rebuild Isengard, which they have wantonly destroyed, and that shall be Sauron's, and there his lieutenant shall dwell: not Saruman, but one more worthy of trust. Also, Sauron demands that you surrender to him the two witches whom you call the Summoners, that he may pass his own judgment upon them."

Camille snarled at that moment. "In your dreams! There's no way IN HELL Eli and I are going to just hand ourselves over to Sauron. Either we go down, or HE does!!!"

Gandalf held a hand out to shush her, though she could see the faint gleam of pride in his eyes. Turning once more to the Messenger, he said, "This is too much to demand for the delivery of one servant: that your Master should receive in exchange what he must else fight many a war to gain! Or has the field of Gondor destroyed his hope in war, so that he falls to haggling? And if indeed we rated this prisoner so high, what surety have we that Sauron, the Base Master of Treachery, will keep his part? Where is this prisoner? Let him be brought forth and yielded to us, and then we will consider the demands."

Camille stared hard at the Messenger, and she thought for a moment that they had finally won in this little debate, but it was not so. For the Mouth of Sauron laughed, and answered swiftly, "Do not bandy words in your insolence with the Mouth of Sauron!" he cried. "Surety you crave! Sauron gives none. If you sue for his clemency you must first do his bidding. These are his terms. Take them or leave them!"

_All right, fine! We'll leave them! _Camille thought, her anger rising to record heights now that she had all the more proof that they didn't have Frodo – or the Ring. _There's no point in this Gandalf! Let's just get it over with and kill them all! _

"These we will take!" said Gandalf suddenly. He cast aside his cloak and a white light shone forth like a sword in that black place. Before his upraised hand the foul Messenger recoiled, and Gandalf coming seized from him the tokens: coat, cloak and sword. "These we will take in memory of our friend!" he cried. "But as for your terms, we reject them utterly. Get you gone, for your embassy is over and death is near you. We did not come here to waste words in treating with Sauron, faithless and accursed; still less with one of his slaves. Begone!"

Eli glared at the Messenger, and cried, "Tell this to your Master, Mouth of Sauron: the Summoners of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth are not to be bargained with, neither shall they surrender themselves to him. If he wants us, then he can come and pluck our cold dead bodies from the ground – if he even manages to live to do that." Her body glowed with a blue light, and high above storm clouds rolled together, lighting and thunder flashing between them.

"We are not to be reasoned with, Mouth of Sauron," Camille added, her voice edged with the flame of rage. "The prophecy shall see its fulfillment…we assure you of that! Now get your stinking little hide out of my sight before I decide to send Suzako after you right here and now!" Beneath her feet, the earth rumbled with a strange sound, as though the world had uttered a groan.

That was more than enough. The face of the Messenger was twisted with amazement and anger the likes of which Camille had never seen before. He strode forward, but when he met her gaze, it seemed like he quailed, and backed off. When he looked at Eli, his fear overtook his wrath completely. He gave a great cry, and turned, leaped upon his steed, and with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged, and the thunder of drums rolled up from all around them. 

Camille flew into a panic as Orcs and Men came from all corners around them. _Trapped! _

*      *      *

"HIII-YA!!!!"

"AUGH!!!"

THUD!!!

Eli breathed hard as she whirled around, striking another Easterling with her katana. _Damn it, they're coming faster than we can handle them!!! _She took a momentary glance over her shoulder, and watched as Camille wrought havoc with her kodachi, the twin blades flashing and glinting in the murk that came from Mordor and that seemed to hang around it perpetually. Just above her, on the crest of the hill, floated the banner of the White Tree, and on the other there spread the banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth, the White Horse and the Silver Swan. Beside the banner of the White Tree stood Gandalf, his gray cloak now cast aside, and his clothes beamed white in the darkness, untouched by anything that Mordor could produce.

Knowing that she wouldn't be particularly useful in this fight down in the fields, Eli forced her way up to the top of the hill, towards Gandalf. She had to make a couple of stops along the way, most of them to take out several enemy soldiers and help a few comrades, but she made it to the top, albeit with more than a few wounds.

Gandalf smiled sadly at her. "I am afraid that this is how it is going to end, my dear: in chaos and death."

"Who said that it was going to end already?"

Eli looked up as Camille clambered towards them, and she looked like she had quite a few injuries herself. 

"What do you mean by that?" Gandalf queried.

Camille grinned, her teeth flashing from her soot-darkened face. "Sauron hasn't got the Ring yet, thus Frodo and Sam are still out there. I don't know how the Messenger found the mail, the cloak and the sword, but at any rate, the Ring hasn't fallen in Sauron's hands. I wanted to tell you this a while ago, but looks like we just waltzed right into an ambush."

Suddenly, a sharp cry tore through the air, and Eli felt a familiar shuddering sensation in her body. _Uh oh… _She looked up, and frowned. "Nazgul…"

At the appearance of the Ringwraiths, the men of the Captains of the West began to fail in their hope. They became all the more desperate in their fight, driving the forces of Mordor back again, but being driven back themselves in a few moments.

That did it. Eli turned to Camille, and she read her best friend's gaze in an instant. _There's no way we're going to fail in this battle! Even if it should take all the strength we have, we will make sure that Sauron falls and never rises again! _She raised her hand to the sky, and shouted in a voice that seemed to carry over the din of the battle all the way to Barad-dur: "This is our final stand, Great Spirits of Middle-Earth! In this last hour, when the brave are separated from the cowardly, when the valiant rise above the weak, let thy light and power shine to be remembered through all the Ages! I summon thee now from the West, Byakko, White Tiger of the Winds!!!! And I summon thee now from the East, Seiryuu, Blue Dragon of the Waters!!!!! Show unto our enemies thy great and mighty powers! I, the Summoner of Wind and Water, call thee forth!!!!"

Her voice was quickly followed by Camille's, rising and rolling over the shouts and cries of war. "Oh Mighty Spirits of Middle-Earth, in this hour, when the fate of this world hangs in the balance, thy strength is called forth from the darkness of the Ages past to fulfill the ancient prophecy!!! May your strength drive evil out forever from this land that peace and prosperity may reign forevermore!!! May thy power be the beacon of hope for all those who fight to protect Middle-Earth and her peoples from the darkness of evil and dread!!! I summon thee from the North, Genbu, Green Serpent-Tortoise of the Earth!!!! And I summon thee from the South, Suzako, Red Phoenix of the Flame!!!!! I, the Summoner of Earth and Fire, call thee forth!!!!!!"

Everything seemed to happen all at once. Beneath Eli's feet, the earth trembled violently, and overhead, the storm clouds started to rumble darkly. A piercing wind from the West came through the fields, and seemed to refresh the men of the Captains of the West and bring new hope to their hearts. 

But the sight that rose from the various directions caused fear in the hosts of Mordor. From the North there climbed the green serpent-tortoise, and the men from Rohan, recognizing it as the very one that had aided them in their fight for Helm's Deep, bellowed and cheered at its appearance. From the East, just behind Barad-dur, the figure of the blue dragon rose to the clouds, and when it roared, the thunder roared with it. From the South a melodious cry rent the air, and the crimson phoenix spread its wings over the field. From the West came the white tiger, and with it the winds blew, wild and stormy. 

Eli concentrated, holding the spirits back. _Not yet, not yet…_

As if to his eyes some sudden vision had been given, Gandalf stirred; and he turned, looking back north where the skies were still pale and clear. Then he lifted up his hands and cried in a loud voice ringing above the din: "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"

_What?! _Eli looked up, surprised by this sudden development. She remembered Bilbo's story, and she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. _This is really weird…_

But she wasn't one to complain. She watched as the Eagles bore down on the Nazgul from the high north winds they had ridden to get to Mordor in the swiftest possible way. However, Eli was surprised when the Nazgul suddenly cried out, and fled, turning towards Mordor, as if drawn there by an unseen call. _Huh? What's going on? They couldn't have just decided to RUN at the sight of the Eagles, could they? I mean, I bet it takes more than that to send a Ringwraith running…_

A cry rose from the Captains of the West as their hosts charged forward. Eli immediately forced herself to turn to the fight at hand, and realized that the hosts of Mordor had weakened slightly, their laughter disappeared, their hands shook, and their limbs were loosed. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dunedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. _It's like the power that was driving them suddenly disappeared…_

But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice: "Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."

Even while he spoke Eli already felt the shaking of the ground beneath her feet, and she knew that it had nothing to do with Genbu's presence. _Camille wouldn't have let him do that…we're all waiting for the right time…and I'm sure she is too._

A dark shadow started rising from the fortress of Barad-dur, a great, black shape like flameless fire stretching out over the sky, heading towards them. And Eli knew that it was time.

"NOW!!!!!!!"

Her voice and Camille's blended into a loud, huge boom, and at that signal, with many sharp cries and roars, the Great Spirits of Middle-Earth sped from their positions towards the dark shadow. They clashed at the same time, and a brilliant explosion lit up the entire sky, a bright light that could be seen even in Lothlorien. Eli turned, shielding her eyes from the light, and concentrated with all her might, focusing all her power on the destruction of the shadow. 

When the light at last faded, she lowered her arms, and looked out towards Barad-dur. Lo! The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and far away, the sound of a whistling, cleansing wind bore down from the West, brought there by Byakko, to cleanse Mordor of the stench and shadow of evil. The dark clouds were blown away, and the sky finally appeared, an endless sea of blue, through the smog of Mordor. And the hosts of Mordor were fleeing, running helter-skelter with no direction. The armies of the Captains of the West charged, chasing after their fleeing enemies.

The joy in Gandalf's voice was undeniable. "The reign of Sauron has ended." He turned to her, and smiled. "And a new Age of peace begins."

Eli smiled back, but felt her legs buckle beneath her. Her eyelids felt like they had lead weights attached to them, and she didn't have enough strength to fight the fatigue. _It's over…it's all over…and we won. _

And with that, she collapsed, losing awareness even before she hit the ground.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Woo-hoo, it's DONE does happy dance around laptop!!!! This chapter was probably the MOST difficult chapter I had to write, the Battle at Helm's Deep coming second in difficulty, followed by the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and then followed by the Battle of the Havens of Pelargir. I have the funny feeling that this chapter wasn't as nice as I had hoped it would be, lacking in action and all that, but I wrote it the best way I could. ANYWAY, it seems that the War of the Ring has finally come to an end, and peace shall reign at last in Middle-Earth. But that does not bring an end (yet) to the story of those who were most closely involved in its start and culmination. The next chapter chronicles what happened at the end of the War of the Ring, especially where the Summoners are concerned. Read on, my dear friends, read on!!!


	49. Chapter Forty-eight: A Hero's Welcome

Chapter Forty-Eight: A Hero's Welcome 

Legolas could not sit still. He had already walked up and down the camp, walked through the wilderness that was the Field of Cormallen, and STILL he was unsettled. Deciding that he was tired of walking around the open spaces, he went back to camp, where everyone was busy getting the tents and the pavilions ready for the grand feast that would take place once Frodo and Sam were back on their feet and once Camille and Eli were awake.

He smiled slightly, remembering. After the fall of Barad-dur, Gandalf had gone off on Gwaihir the Windlord's back, heading towards the Tower. When he had returned, he had Frodo and Sam with him. And one of Frodo's fingers was missing. Legolas hadn't asked about it, as he knew it would all be revealed in time, and he had other things on his mind.

_Like the fact that Camille has not yet awakened. _ It had been exactly fourteen days since the Fall of Barad-dur, and it was a well-known fact that the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth had gotten rid of the last remnants of Sauron as the Ring was destroyed. But it took out a lot of energy from the two Summoners, and they were currently lying in one of the tents, still deep in slumber, recuperating from their exertion. 

He was now standing in front of the tent that housed his beloved, and he entered quietly. Inside, he found Elrohir sitting in a chair, watching as Eli slept on. ^How do they fare, Elrohir?^

The dark-haired Elf sighed wearily. He and Elladan had spent much of the week tending to the injured survivors, being healers themselves. Elrohir was particularly busy, as he was the better healer of the two. But he always found time to go to this tent and check on his beloved. ^They are still the same, Legolas. Still sleeping, still wandering the dream realms. I am tempted to go into their sleep and draw them back, but I feel that they need their rest.^

Legolas nodded, smiling. ^Aye, you are right. They have done much for this world, more than they were required to do, perhaps.^

^Aye,^ Elrohir replied with a nod and a smile as he glanced at Legolas. ^They were not required to bind themselves to us in love, and yet, they did such a thing.^ He chuckled then. ^Somehow I feel like I am the luckiest being alive.^

Legolas laughed outright. ^Aye, I feel the same way.^ He turned his gaze to the sleeping Camille. ^She has surrendered her life in her world, only to be with me.^ He set his lips in a serious frown. ^And I vow over my immortal life that she will never know sadness ever again.^

^Ah yes, you are to wed, are you not?^ Elrohir asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He got up from his chair, and stood beside Legolas. ^You must be gentle with her on the first night, my friend. Patience is the key. She will learn in time what you like.^

Legolas blushed a bright shade of red. _Of all the things he must say! _Although Elrohir was indeed older than him by three or four hundred years, that didn't mean he knew nothing about what couples did on the wedding night. ^You do not need to tell me such, Elrohir,^ he muttered. ^I am more than two thousand years old; I know what you speak of. And she is MY bride. You have no right to tell me such things in relation to her. If you must speak of it, leave her out of it.^

Elrohir laughed, and shook his head. ^I was but teasing you, my friend. And you would do very well to expect such things, especially once the betrothal is known to all and sundry. I am certain that you will not hear the end of it until the ceremony itself.^ And before Legolas could say anything further, he walked out of the tent.

*      *      *

Camille opened her eyes slightly, allowing the soft glow of tempered sunlight to filter into them. She groaned as a MASSIVE headache the likes of which she had never known in her life pounded through her skull. _Oh my God…it hurts…it really, REALLY hurts… _Sitting up slowly, she propped herself up with one arm, since her free hand she was using to slowly rub out the throbbing headache. _Why isn't there any aspirin when you need it? _

After a few moments of rubbing and taking deep breaths, the pain had lessened somewhat, giving her a longer attention span. She looked around, and realized that she was inside a tent, lying in a very comfortable bed. There were birds singing outside, so they were no longer in Mordor. Inhaling deeply, she recognized a faint scent in the air that reminded her of… _Ithilien. Is that where we are right now? _

"Ooh… I feel like someone just whacked me on the head with a hardbound, unabridged volume of Les Miserables."

Camille looked to her left at the sound, and watched as Eli slowly sat up, rubbing her forehead like she was doing a while ago. She grinned. "Had a good rest, Eli?"

Her best friend snorted, and her shoulders shifted in a shrug. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Camille. If I wake up with a headache, that can't be a good sign. The last thing I remember is blacking out when Gandalf told me that the reign of Sauron was over…"

_The reign of Sauron is over…_ It was only then that the whole thing hit Camille, and her mind reeled. _The reign of Sauron is over…that means the Ring is destroyed…and we're alive…we're all alive… _She let out a loud squeal of joy that could be heard all over the camp, and she jumped onto Eli's bed, hugging her best friend tight. "Ohmigod, we made it Eli!!!! WE MADE IT!!! Sauron's gone and we're alive, and we're free to do what we want!!! WE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Though it took a while for Eli to react, she was soon screaming and laughing and jumping up and down on the bed as though it was a trampoline. The two girls were holding hands while jumping up and down, screaming, "WE MADE IT! WE MADE IT! WE-"

"Ahem."

When she heard the rather stern voice at the entrance to the tent, Camille stopped jumping, and turned to look. She saw Gandalf and Aragorn standing in the entrance, and both of them wore rather serious looks on their faces, though there was a hint of a smile curling on their mouths. Thoroughly embarrassed by their rather juvenile display, she sank down onto the bed again, and a bright blush tinted her face. "Uh…hi?"

Gandalf chuckled as he approached them. "Though the defeat of Sauron is certainly cause for celebration, I do not think it requires as exuberant a display as jumping on a bed after you have just awoken."

Eli giggled. "Hey, when it's as big as surviving in a war against Sauron, I say that jumping on a bed is a good idea. In fact, I was kind of thinking of starting up a pillow fight, but then you two came along."

Aragorn laughed outright at that comment. "Then I hope you will forgive us for interfering at this time, but you have just awoken, and you are not completely recovered yet. That final assault took out much energy from you. You must stay in bed for some time, or at least for the afternoon. Tonight there will be a feast held in your honor."

_Eh? _"A feast? For what reason?" Camille asked as she cocked an eyebrow at Aragorn.

It was Gandalf who laughed this time. "You truly underestimate your role in this battle. If it had not been for you, then perhaps Sauron would still be out there, and this war would not have come to a complete and utter close." He winked at them. "You are heroines now, Camille, Eli. Your names will forever be remembered by those who have participated in this war, and by those who will come after."

"Aye, what Gandalf speaks of is true," Aragorn said with a nod. He was now holding a steaming cup of something, and this he passed to Camille. "Here, drink this. It will help you recuperate faster."

Camille nodded, and took the cup from Aragorn, who then turned, and gave another one to Eli. "Thank you." 

Aragorn smiled, and brushed back a stray lock of hair. "Twas nothing, little sister, twas nothing at all." He kissed her gently on the cheek, and did the same with Eli before moving towards the entrance of the tent. "Now I expect you two to REST. You will have more than enough time for mischief when you have recovered." 

"Yes, big brother," Eli yelled sarcastically as Aragorn exited the tent, leaving them with Gandalf. 

The Wizard smiled, and shook his head good-naturedly. "I seriously doubt that you will remain in bed this whole day, so to keep you here, I have sent for Merry and Pippin to keep you company. Mischief-makers must stay in the company of their fellows, must they not?"

Camille laughed. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Gandalf, unless you want to end up as the butt of our pranks. Remember, two heads are better than one, so if you put four heads together…"

"Then I suppose that is a risk I must take," Gandalf answered with a laugh. He stood up, and moved towards the exit. "I shall repeat what Aragorn said: stay in bed. You will have more than enough time for celebration tonight. I will go to see to Frodo and Sam. They have just awakened as well, and they need a little more looking-after than you do." And with that, he left.

_Well, at least we're sure we ALL made it out alive. Thank God that Frodo and Sam managed to get out in one piece. _Camille sighed, and turned to look at Eli. "Something tells me that we're going to be in for something we never expected."

"Don't worry Camille," Eli said quietly, "you're not alone in that feeling."

*      *      *

Eli tentatively stepped out from behind the changing screen, smoothing down the front of her dress. "How do I look, Elrohir?"

The dark-haired Elf turned, and a look that could only be described as surprise and awe appeared on his face. He approached her slowly, reverently, and kissed her hand. "My Lady…you honor me with your presence."

Eli frowned, and pushed him lightly on the chest. "Funny Elrohir. Seriously, do I look alright?"

Elrohir straightened up, and smiled, nodding. "Aye, you look beautiful. All the stars in the sky pale in comparison."

Eli couldn't help blushing at the compliment. "Thanks Elrohir." She looked down at her outfit. It was a soft, flowing blue dress in the Elvish fashion, replete with silver embroidery, though how Aragorn and the others managed to find it she would never know. A pair of blue velvet slippers that also had silver embroidery on them accompanied it, and they fit so well that she began to wonder if the whole outfit was made especially for this occasion. _If that's the case, _she thought, _how did they get my measurements? _

But she had no time for such thoughts, because Elrohir was already steering her towards the nearby dressing table. Gently pushing down on her shoulders so that she would sit, he left her for a moment, and returned with a wooden box in his hands. He smiled at her reflection as he slowly opened the box, first pulling out the Pendant of Imladris. After he fastened it around her neck, he reached into the box again, and this time brought out a delicate mithril filigree circlet, a beautiful star sapphire gleaming from the center. 

Eli gasped with awe and wonder as Elrohir carefully placed the circlet on her head so that the sapphire was in the middle of her brow. The mithril was bright and pure, and the sapphire seemed to glow with its own light. ^Elrohir, where did this come from?^ she asked as she hesitantly touched the circlet.

^It is a gift that comes from Aragorn and the people of Gondor,^ Elrohir explained, ^from out of the treasuries of Ithilien. Long was the searching for such a gift, and it is beautiful in itself, but it only heightens your own beauty, my love.^

Eli giggled, and shook her head. ^Flattery will get you nowhere, my love. So stop cosseting me or we shall never leave this tent.^

^I would not mind that,^ Elrohir whispered, and there was a slight hint of seduction in his voice that both thrilled and unnerved Eli. 

Laughing, Eli stood up, and moved towards the tent flap. ^Come now, you naughty Elf, and let us to go the feast.^ She started out of the tent, Elrohir quickly standing by her side, and nearly collided with Camille, who was being escorted by Legolas, as usual. 

Camille grinned when she saw Eli and Elrohir. "Let me say this now: you two make the cutest couple I have ever seen."

Eli smiled, and reached out to whack Camille on the head. "Oh yeah? You and Legolas are just absolutely perfect, so perfect that it looks impossible."

"Hey, watch out! Don't touch the hair!" Camille exclaimed as she laughingly ducked Eli's hand. It was only then that Eli realized what her best friend was wearing. It was a brilliant crimson red dress with gold embroidery, matched by a pair of crimson slippers. Around her throat was the Pendant of Lothlorien, and upon her head was a mithril circlet like the one she wore, except where the sapphire should be there was a ruby instead.

"I know, I know," Camille said with a sigh as she hesitantly touched her own circlet with her fingertips. She nodded towards Legolas. "He wouldn't explain to me why I have to wear this thing tonight."

Legolas laughed. "You will find out later on tonight, my love, I promise you that." He went ahead of her slightly on the path, tugging her right hand gently. "Come, we cannot be late for the feast."

As Camille followed Legolas down the path, Eli noticed a flash of something on her left ring finger. She got a fleeting glimpse of it, and realized, to her utter surprise, that it was a ring, consisting of an emerald set amid diamonds on a band of gold. She raised her eyebrows when she saw it. "An engagement ring?" she murmured.

"What do you speak of?" Elrohir asked curiously as they continued on their way to the small cluster of brightly lit tents in the field below. 

"Did you see the ring on Camille's finger?" Eli asked as she looked up at Elrohir, who chuckled in response.

The son of Elrond nodded. "Aye, I saw it, and I know about it as well. I do not know how it goes in your world, but amongst the Elves, it is customary for the groom to give his bride-to-be something valuable, and it usually comes in the form of jewelry. It then becomes a sign that the female is engaged and is to be wed. It can be a necklace or a bracelet, but the most common gifts are rings. The ring that Camille is wearing is a betrothal gift from Legolas. I am not sure, but I believe Legolas said it once belonged to his mother."

"Really? We have almost the same thing in our world. The guy gives the girl what we call an engagement ring, which is preferably a diamond in gold, and it is placed on the left ring finger. There's this old belief that there is a vein that runs from the left ring finger to the heart, and that if the engagement ring is placed there, then the love of the couple will remain true forever. Later on, in the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring is replaced by a wedding ring, which is just a simple gold band with something inscribed on the inside."

"And what is written on the inside?"

"Anything, actually. Most couples like to place the date of their wedding, but some prefer romantic phrases or promises that they make to each other." 

They stopped at that moment, and Eli surveyed the scene. They were now standing at the edge of the entrance of another tent, and they slipped inside. There, she found Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Camille and Legolas, all chatting with each other as Gandalf helped Frodo and Sam prepare for the feast. 

Eli waited until Gandalf was finished with them, before she ran up to the two Hobbits, and gave each of them a hug. "Frodo! Sam! Oh God, I really missed you guys! I was so worried about you when you just up and left us at Parth Galen!"

Frodo laughed a little, and answered, "We are terribly sorry if we made you worry, Eli. But I suppose you know why we did that…"

"I do, and I understand, and I forgive you." Eli grinned at them. "I'm just so glad you're alive."

"We're glad to see YOU'RE alive too, Miss Eli," Sam said with a happy smile, even as tears glinted and threatened to fall from his eyes.

Gandalf laughed heartily. "Ah, yes indeed, this is a pleasant reunion! And now we have much time to ourselves for the telling of tales and stories!" He moved towards the exit of the tent, and held it open for them. "Come, my friends! Let us go to the feast!"

*      *      *

To say that Camille was overwhelmed was too much of an understatement. The feast had been mind-boggling, head-spinning, dizzying…and just plain awe-inspiring. The minute they were noticed by the soldiers that had come to attend the feast, they didn't just bow, they KNELT on their knees, drawing their swords and shaking their spears in gestures of utmost respect. 

After they had managed to make their way through the crowd, they were brought before Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil, who then declared to all those gathered their heroism and their right to honor. When Aragorn was finished with his speech, a minstrel of Gondor came forward and offered to sing a song that chronicled the deeds of heroism that had occurred in Barad-dur. After that, the feasting began, and it continued well into the night.

When the feast started to wind down, Eli, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Sam, Gandalf and herself excused themselves from the general merrymaking and slid off to a more secluded area of the camp. They found a comfortable spot beneath some trees, and there they stayed into the night, swapping stories and adventures.

Camille listened carefully to the story of Sam and Frodo, and felt her heart go out to them, especially when she saw that his right hand was missing a finger. And then they started to tell their side of the story, which seemed to make Sam extremely confused, since he kept asking which parts linked to which and what happened in which part. Of course, it didn't help that Merry and Pippin kept interrupting each other. Eventually, Legolas and Gimli joined then, and they in turn contributed their part of the story to the now very long and rather convoluted tale. 

During a lull in the storytelling, Pippin suddenly looked up, and said, "Now would be a good time for another song, Camille, Eli! It's been a while since I last heard your voices. Would you grace us with a song…for what might be the last time?"

Eli laughed, and shook her head. "It won't be the last time, Pippin, not in a long, long while. We're going to be hanging around here for quite sometime. But as for the song…hmmm." She glanced at Camille. "Any suggestions?"

Camille grinned, and thought about it. _Hmmm, what song would be most appropriate? _After spending a couple of moments thinking, she grinned, and said, "I have an idea…" She started to sing…

_We were strangers, starting out on a journey_

_Never dreaming what we'd have to go through_

_Now here we are, and I'm suddenly standing_

_At the beginning with you…_

Eli smiled, and continued to the next stanza…

_No one told me I was going to find you_

_Unexpected, what you did to my heart_

_When I lost hope, you were there to remind me_

_This is the start…_

They joined together at the chorus…

_And life is a road and I wanna keep going_

_Love is a river I wanna keep flowing_

_Life is a road, now and forever_

_Wonderful journey_

_I'll be there when the world stops turning_

_I'll be there when the storm is through_

_In the end I wanna be standing_

_At the beginning with you…_

Eli started up the next part…

_We were strangers, on a crazy adventure…_

Camille did the next line…

_Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true…_

They sang together at that point…

_Now here we stand, unafraid of the future,_

_At the beginning with you…_

_And life is a road and I wanna keep going_

_Love is a river I wanna keep flowing_

_Life is a road, now and forever_

_Wonderful journey_

_I'll be there when the world stops turning_

_I'll be there when the storm is through_

_In the end I wanna be standing _

_At the beginning with you…_

_I knew there was somebody somewhere_

_Like me lost in the dark_

_Now I know that dreams will belong, I've been waiting so long,_

_Nothing's gonna tear us apart…_

_And life is a road and I wanna keep going,_

_Love is a river I wanna keep flowing_

_Life is a road, now and forever _

_Wonderful journey_

_I'll be there when the world stops turning, _

_I'll be there when the storm is through_

_In the end I wanna be standing _

_At the beginning with you…_

_Life is a road I wanna keep going on…_

_Starting out on a journey_

_Life is a road and I wanna keep going_

_Love is a river I wanna keep flowing_

_In the end I wanna be standing_

_At the beginning…with you…_

The end of the song was met with applause, especially from Sam. "It's been too long, Miss Camille and Miss Eli," he said, "since I last heard you sing. And you're right. We're all standing at the beginning again, we are, at the beginning of a new life. And I never thought we'd meet again like this, not while we were in Cirith Ungol, at least. It warms my heart to be with all of you again."

Gandalf laughed, and stood up. "I could not have put it better myself, Sam." He gestured towards the camp. "But now, I believe we must retire for the night, for on the morrow, we return to Minas Tirith. I press this point on our two Summoners and Ringbearers, especially. Aragorn may have healed you, but you still need your rest."

"And not only Sam, Frodo, Camille and Eli," said Gimli, "But you too, Pippin. I love you, if only because of the pains you have cost me, which I shall never forget. Nor shall I forget finding you on the hill of the last battle. But for Gimli the Dwarf you would have been lost then. But at least I know now the look of a Hobbit's foot, though it be all that can be seen under a heap of bodies. And when I heaved that great carcass off you, I made sure you were dead. I could have torn out my beard. And it is only a day yet since you were first up and abroad again. To bed now you go. And so shall I."

"And I," said Legolas, "shall walk in the woods of this fair land, which is rest enough. In days to come, if my Elven-lord allows, some of our folk shall remove hither; and when we come it shall be blessed for a while. For a while: a month, a life, a hundred years of Men. But Anduin is near, and Anduin leads to the Sea!"

Eli snickered then. "Aren't you forgetting something, Legolas? What about the sweet little bride you intend to marry?"

Camille immediately felt a blush appear on her face. "Eli!"

Frodo looked up, startled. "Bride? Camille, do you mean to say that you and Legolas are…"

"Not yet married, just betrothed to each other," Camille answered quickly, before Merry or Pippin or Eli could say otherwise. 

Legolas laughed then. "Ah yes, of course!" He turned his blue gaze to her, and said, "I shall marry the one whom my heart desires, and we shall build a fair house in the beautiful glades of this land, between the forests and the Sea. Its windows shall look out over the Sea, and its gardens shall encompass the forests. And all the flowers of the land will grow and prosper, and all the songbirds will come at dawn. And my bride shall rise every morning to the scent of flowers and the chorus of the birds at her window…"

Camille giggled, and shook her head. "Okay, okay, I get the picture Legolas." She stretched, and yawned. "But Gandalf is right; we DO need our rest."

"Very well then." Legolas stood up, and held his hand out to her. "Come, I shall see you to your rest."

Camille sighed, and, taking his hand, she was led back to her tent, where she slid into bed after changing out of her gown and into her nightclothes, and fell asleep dreaming of the good things that were to come.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, this is somewhat useless, but this is just my take of what happened on the Field of Cormallen when Frodo, Sam, Camille and Eli woke up. Oh yeah, and the song up there is the song "At the Beginning", which I lifted from the Anastasia soundtrack. ANYWAY, on to the next chapter!!! Aragorn has finally taken up his residence in the City of Gondor, and most everyone has been busy with rebuilding. However, strange dreams appear to be plaguing the two Summoners, and the Fellowship sets out once more for one final adventure.


	50. Chapter Forty-nine: Resolutions

Chapter Forty-Nine: Resolutions 

It had been several days since Aragorn entered the City of Gondor and assumed his place as King. It was currently the eighth of May, and the Riders of Rohan were preparing to depart for their own land in the company of the sons of Elrond. They rode off by the North-way, and all the road was lined with people to do them honor and praise them, from the Gate of the City to the walls of the Pelennor. 

Before their departure, the Lady Elisabeth of the Blue Dragon, as she had come to be known in the City, had been loth to allow Elrohir to leave her behind, but they spoke with each other for many long hours, and at last the Lady allowed her beloved to leave her for the time being.

The Hobbits still remained in Minas Tirith, with Legolas and Gimli and Gandalf and Camille and Eli; for Aragorn was loth for the fellowship to be dissolved. "At last all such things must end," he said, "but I would have you wait a little while longer: for the end of the deeds that you have shared in has not yet come. A day draws near that I have looked for in all the years of my manhood, and when it comes I would have my friends with me." But of that day he would say no more.

In those days the Companions of the Ring dwelt together in a fair house with Gandalf, and they went to and fro as they wished. And for a time, all was happy in that house, until the day came when strange things began to happen to the two Summoners of the Great Spirits of Middle-Earth…

*      ~      *

Eli turned around, stunned to find herself in a place of empty, inky blackness. _Jeez, this is like the time when Byakko and Seiryuu were talking to me! _

"Eli, are you there?"  
  


_Eh? _Hoping against hope, Eli answered, "Camille?"

"Oh great! Good thing you're here, Eli!"

Eli nodded, though she knew that her best friend wouldn't be able to see her in this darkness. "I know. I'm glad you're here too." _But the question is, what are we doing here in the first place? _She knew this HAD to be a dream, but why would they get such a dream NOW? _What do we need to do THIS time?!_

"Forgive us for interrupting thy rest, Summoners."

Eli jerked. _I know that voice. _"Seiryuu?"

There was a soft chuckle deep in the darkness. "Aye, thou art correct, Elisabeth."

"What are you doing here? WHY are we here anyway?" Camille's voice seemed slightly edged with panic.

"We have a last mission to give to thee." The voice was different from the voices of Seiryuu and Byakko, so Eli figured that it had to be either Suzako or Genbu.

"What is that mission?" Eli queried.

Byakko's voice answered her. "Thou shall return to our Sanctuary, and there we shall give thy promised rewards."

_Three wishes? We're to get three wishes? But for what? _Eli was about to voice out the last question, but then, a brilliant flash of light emerged from the darkness, and she lost all awareness of time and space…

*      ~      *

Camille's eyes shot wide open, and she gasped for breath. _What the…_ She sat up in bed slowly, thinking about the dream she just had. _That was some strange dream… Why would the Four Gods want to give us a reward? What did we do? _

"Camille?"

Camille looked up, and saw Eli staring at her from her own bed. Their eyes locked, and Camille instantly read Eli's gaze. "You had the same dream, didn't you?"

Eli nodded slowly. "Yeah, I did." She was silent for a moment. "Do you know why the Four Gods would want to grant us three wishes? I never really figured out what we did to deserve that sort of thing."

"I have no clue either," Camille replied with a shrug. "Maybe they want to reward us for all our hard work during the War?"

"Maybe."

There was a pause, then Eli asked, "What are you doing to wish for? I mean, we can only have three wishes. We might as well agree on them and not waste them."

Camille grinned. "Well, I won't wish to get sent back to our world, because I'm happy here. Come to think of it, there isn't really much I want to wish for myself. All that I could ever wish for I'm going to get when I marry Legolas. The fact that I'm even ALIVE right now to marry him is my greatest dream come true."

Eli giggled. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." She turned to the window, and gazed out at the gardens thoughtfully. "But you know…they've done so much for us… Aragorn and Arwen and Gandalf and Gimli and Elrond and Thranduil…even all those other people we met but can't get their names straight. They deserve a LOT more than we do for what they did for Middle-Earth."

Camille raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. _Does she intend to give up her wishes for Aragorn and the others? _"Eli, are you saying that we're going to make our wishes according to what Aragorn and the others deserve?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Eli replied with a smile of her own.

Camille returned that smile enthusiastically. _Well, at least we can settle the score now. _She bounded over to Eli's bed. "So, what sort of wishes are we going to ask for them?"

*      *      *

Aragorn was surprised by what he just heard. "Are you certain? There is still one more errand that needs to be accomplished?"

Camille shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't put it in such grandiose terms as an errand, but yeah, this is just a loose end Eli and I have to tie up, and we wanted to tell you before we left where exactly we were going." 

"Of course, if you want to come along that'd be perfectly fine," Eli said with a grin. She tilted her head sideways in a slightly teasing manner. "And hey, one more adventure for the Fellowship, right? I mean, come on, think about it: everyone's going to have to go their own way eventually, no matter how much you may want to keep them here. Think of it as one last get-together before we all go our own ways in life."

Aragorn sighed. _They seem to have forgotten that I am needed here. _"You have my leave to go, if you so wish, and the others as well, but I cannot leave. I have other matters that I need to attend to."

"Oh come on Aragorn, don't be such a spoilsport!" Camille exclaimed. "This is ONE LAST CHANCE for a thrill before you officially take over, and I thought you wouldn't pass it up! Besides, Faramir can stay here and handle things for you while you're gone. You won't be away for a long time, you know. Getting to the Shrine of the Four Spirits at Caradhras MUST be easier this time around without the Ring and all those Wargs and Orcs to bother us."

"She's right, you know," Eli said with a nod. "This is the last chance we have to ride out together, and I thought that you wouldn't be able to turn it down. Faramir is more than capable of handling the rebuilding of Minas Tirith while you're gone." She put on a face that Aragorn could easily compare to that of a wounded puppy. "You'll come along with us, won't you? Please?"  
  


Aragorn withstood her gaze for as long as he could, but eventually, he had to laugh as he threw his hands up in the air in a gesture of defeat. "Ah, you have won, Eli! With an expression such as the one you have worn, even the most lawful of judges would be hard-pressed to accuse you of murder though the evidence should point to you!"

Eli grinned teasingly at him. "Heh, I always knew the good old puppy-dog eyes trick would work on you. Just never had the chance to test it." Her face turned slightly serious. "So you'll come with us?"

_How can I deny her, not after that trick she just pulled on me? _Aragorn nodded. "Aye, I shall come with you."

*      *      *

And so it was that the last remaining members of the Fellowship set out for one final journey together. In that riding went the King Elessar; Gandalf the White; the Ringbearers Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee; the Hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took; the Elf-Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas; the Dwarf Gimli; the Lady Elisabeth of the Blue Dragon; and the Lady Camille of the Red Phoenix.

Rumors flew all throughout the White City when King Elessar announced that he and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring would be making a sojourn together. Many said that some remnant of the Enemy yet remained, and that they were going to deal with it themselves; but some who claimed to have knowledge about what went on within the circle of the Companions whispered that this most recent mission involved the Summoners, and that it was closely linked with Mirkwood, Moria, and the King Elessar…

*      *      *

Frodo dismounted from his pony, and looked upon the door of the Shrine of the Four Spirits with a mixture of nostalgia and apprehension. He could still remember the first time he had been here, it had been during a troubling time for him. Now that it was a time of relative peace, the entire place exuded a relaxing atmosphere, encouraging deep thought and meditation. "This place feels so different from when we were here last."

Beside him, Sam nodded. "Indeed, Mr. Frodo. It doesn't seem half as frightening now as when we first came here."

"Well, the Spirits kind of had to keep a foreboding appearance up," Camille said as she came up from behind them. "That way, only those with true courage in their hearts would be able to go inside. And I suppose that it was kind of a trial in itself, before the real ones that the Spirits delivered."

Eli turned to them, and waved them over. "Hey Camille, Frodo, Sam! Come on over here now! We still have a long way to walk!"

Frodo obediently followed after Camille, and they began their long walk into the cave. He remembered the first time they had been there, when they had walked for quite a while in darkness. But now, it wasn't dark anymore. There were now torches stuck in the walls on either side of them, and the moment they stepped inside, they all flared up with a brilliant light.

Frodo glanced at Camille, who was shaking her head innocently. "It wasn't me, I swear! I didn't even KNOW that there were torches here now!" she exclaimed as she lifted her hands in a defensive position.

"Then if it was not you, who was it?" Pippin asked, and Frodo thought he heard a hint of fear in his voice.

Aragorn turned to Eli, and Frodo caught the concerned look in his eye. "Are there any ghosts, Eli?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I don't feel anything like that. And besides, I would've told you if I felt any of them, wouldn't I?"

Gandalf walked ahead of them then. "We do not have a lot of time to waste, my friends. Let us go to the Sanctuary in the center of this cave. Perhaps we shall find out answers there."

With that, Frodo and the rest of the Companions walked further and further into the cave, though they proceeded more easily now than what Frodo remembered. _If my memory serves me right, we were always stopping to look if we were going the right way, or if there was an enemy ahead. But now, everyone seems to be more relaxed, like they know that nothing is going to come after them. _And Frodo was very glad that the Ring was gone from him at last.

It took them less time than they thought to reach the Sanctuary. When he stepped in, Frodo could once more feel the power of the Spirits around him, and although it seemed soft and welcoming, it was still there, and made him feel a little uneasy.

He watched as Camille and Eli walked to the center of the room. Their voices when they spoke held quiet authority, as if they were in their own element, "Spirits, thou hast called us here, and we have appeared before thee to answer thy call. What is thy request?"

Four flickering balls of light appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and they took the shape of the four warriors Frodo remembered when Camille and Eli first received their powers. The one in red armor spoke then, "Thou hast served this world well, Summoners. Through thy valor and wisdom, Middle-Earth is at last at peace, and none shall trouble it for many long Ages to come. Now, we shall give thee thy promised reward. We give thee the power to ask anything of us, and we shall give it to thee. The only limit we impose is that we cannot raise the dead from their eternal slumber. Dost thou understand?"

Camille nodded. "We understand, Suzako, and we shall now put forth our wishes as thou hast asked us to." She took a deep breath, and said, "We wish that the Mines of Moria be cleared of all evil that lives there, that the Dwarves of Erebor be allowed to return to the ancient halls of their fathers, which the minions of Sauron have taken and defiled."

Gimli choked and sputtered at the mention of this wish. "But…but Camille, Eli, surely you have other things to wish for! There is no need for that!"

But Gimli was ignored as the warrior in red armor nodded. "Thy wish is granted, Summoner."

Now it was Eli's turn. "We wish that the land of Mirkwood be completely purified of all evil things, that the Elves of Mirkwood no longer be sundered from the rest of Middle-Earth."

This time, it was Legolas' turn to choke. "Eli, what was that for?! There is no need for such a wish!"

But like before, Legolas was ignored, and the warrior in blue armor nodded. "Thy wish is granted, Summoner." 

"Thou hast but one wish left," said the one in white armor. "Choose well what thou should ask of us."

Camille and Eli looked at each other, and it seemed to Frodo that they had already agreed upon what they would wish for. Eli sighed, and turned to the warriors. "We wish that Aragorn, son of Arathorn, now known as King Elessar of Gondor, be granted passage to the Blessed Land of the Elves so that when the time comes, he may join his beloved, Arwen Evenstar, daughter of Elrond, in eternal bliss in the West. We also want to include in this wish Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, as a reward for their services during the War of the Ring."

This caused an explosion from Aragorn. "Camille, Eli, you should not wish for that! I do not need it! Why did you not wish for something for yourselves! Take that wish back!"

Camille smiled at him. "There's no going back on this one, Aragorn. Eli and I already agreed on what we wanted to wish for, and we thought that you deserved this one wish for yourself. Eli and I are happy with what we already have. We don't need to ask for anything anymore. But you…you need this. You've done so many things for Middle-Earth, and we believe you haven't been rewarded enough. This one is for you. We aren't going to take it back."

Frodo stared at them in amazement. _They did not ask for anything for themselves? But…but…WHY?! _"But you DO deserve these wishes for yourselves! Why did you give them up for our sake?"

The Spirits chuckled then, and Frodo focused his attention to them, as did Eli and Camille. The one in green armor spoke thus: "Thou art indeed selfless in heart, Summoners. Thou art given three chances to ask for anything, and yet thou hast given up thy chances for thy friends. And thy unselfishness shall not go without a reward, for we shall bestow a gift upon thee that should be most appropriate. Thy three wishes shall be granted, but this is a gift that we give to thee before we depart from this world and go elsewhere. May thou find true happiness in this gift, dear Summoners."

Frodo was about to ask what was going on, but then, a brilliant flash of light exploded from the spot where the two girls were standing. Letting out a cry, he lifted his arms to shield his eyes from the light. It was a long time before the light dissipated at last. Lowering his arms, Frodo looked around, and noticed that Camille and Eli were now sprawled on the floor.

Thinking that something terrible had happened to them, Frodo and the rest of the Companions ran over, worried beyond measure about the condition of Camille and Eli. Legolas, in particular, was quite troubled. He bent over Camille, and shook her shoulders gently to bring her out of her stupor. "Camille, awake, my love!"

The girl mentioned groaned, and opened her eyes slowly. She blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear her vision. "What…what happened? Where are the Spirits?"

"They are gone now. They disappeared with the light," Aragorn replied as he helped Eli sit up.

Eli shook her head then, as if trying to clear it of something. "Strange. I feel so…weird. I feel so light, but I don't think any of my strength's disappeared. And how come your voices are so loud all of a sudden?"

Aragorn's brows were knitted as he pondered on what Eli said, but his eyes widened all of a sudden, and his face paled. He reached out with one hand, and pushed Eli's loose hair back behind her ear. What he revealed made him gasp. "By the Valar…it is a small wonder why our voices sounded louder to you now! Elisabeth, you are an Elf!"

Frodo looked more closely, and uttered a loud gasp of surprise. "It is true, Eli! Your ears are pointed like an Elf's!" He turned to Camille, and reached up to pull her hair back. "And it is the same with Camille! She is an Elf too!"

Camille shrieked, and clapped her hands over her ears, rubbing them tentatively to discern their shape. After running her fingertips over her ears, she lowered them slowly, and said, "Okay, so I'm not dreaming…but how did it happen?!"

"The Spirits said that they would bestow a gift upon you for your selflessness," Gandalf said thoughtfully, "and that gift was to turn you into Elves. They granted you the gift of Elven form." He smiled brightly then. "Indeed, with your Elvish forms you can now find true happiness! There is nothing to bar your marriages any longer! And since you are Elves, you are granted the privilege to cross the Sea to the Blessed Land whenever you should so choose and live there forever in eternal joy!"

Legolas smiled happily then as he turned to Camille. "Well then, that eliminates all of our worries, my love! When we return to Gondor, I shall send word to my father, informing him that we are to wed."

Aragorn laughed merrily. "Come then, Master Elf! Let us leave this place now and return to Minas Tirith. The sooner we arrive, the sooner you can send word to your sire."

As they walked out of the cave and into the bright light of the outside world, Frodo looked with a smile at his companions, particularly the two new Elf-maidens. _Everything is coming to an end…I am only too happy that it shall all end in a happy manner. _

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, you people didn't expect that, did you ^_~? It's just that I always wanted to give this story a happy ending, and the only way I would be able to accomplish that was if I turned the girls into Elves. And THAT'S how I did it ^_^. And of course, I didn't exactly want to leave Aragorn out of the whole deal either. I felt it was kind of sad that he and Arwen had to DIE at the end of the whole Trilogy, and I decided to "correct" that ^_~. But I won't end it JUST YET. There is still one more chapter to go, and then I shall draw this tale to a close. See you in the next chapter, folks!


	51. Chapter Fifty: For the Rest of Eternity

Chapter Fifty: For the Rest of Eternity 

Eli peered at herself in the mirror, looking at herself from as many angles as possible. "Do you think he'll notice the difference?"

Camille's reflection shook its head in answer to her question. "From a distance, there's no difference at all. Especially if you hide your ears the way you just did. But up close, maybe he'll notice little things. – like you became just a little bit slimmer and how your reflexes and senses got a little better all of a sudden. But aside from that, I don't think there's anything different from the old you and the new you."

"Great. Cause I want to give Elrohir a surprise he won't ever forget," Eli answered with an evil grin.

Camille laughed, and Eli noticed that it had become just slightly more melodious than before. "Don't give the poor guy a heart attack now! You just might lose him when you've finally become immortal!" She turned to the door then. "Oh, and Legolas, you know that it's useless to try and sneak up on us now that we're Elves too. And the door's open!"

Eli turned towards the door as Legolas came in, and had to grin at the disappointed look on his face. "Alas, I have been foiled again!" He smiled brilliantly then. "And a pleasant Midsummer's Eve to you, My Ladies! I hope that I find you well this evening?"

Camille laughed at his sudden politeness, and curtsied to him. She was dressed in a pale green Elvish dress richly embroidered with a leaf design in silver thread. "Oh, we are quite well, My Lord! What brings you to our chambers this time?"

"I come bringing news. The riding of Elves from the North has entered the walls of the Pelennor, and they are making swift progress towards the White City. If you wish to greet them, you must make haste to the courtyard." Legolas extended his arm to Camille. "Come Camille, let us go. My father goes in that riding as well, and he will be quite eager to meet his future daughter-in-law."

Camille whacked Legolas on the arm. "Legolas!" She turned to Eli then. "Hey Eli, want to come now?"

Eli smiled, and shook her head. "Nah, I'll come along later. You two go ahead of me. I'll follow you later." As her best friend and her fiancé left her in their room, she sighed, and walked onto the balcony. She had wanted to stay behind till later because the balcony had the best view of the courtyard. Already she could see lots of people milling around, most of them talking in hushed tones. Aragorn was already there, decked out in all his finery, and Eli thought that he looked more than a little anxious.

Of course, she knew why. _Wedding jitters eh, big brother? _Aragorn had long told the Companions that come Midsummer's Eve, he and Arwen would be joined at last as husband and wife. And since it WAS Midsummer's Eve, that meant that they were only waiting for the bridal party to come through the north gates of Minas Tirith.

With her gift of Elvish sight, she could now see quite a ways off, and in the distance, she could already see the approaching party. At the forefront went Elladan and Elrohir, and they brought a banner of silver with them. Behind them she could see Glorfindel and Erestor and all of the household of Rivendell. After them came the Lady Galadriel and Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien, riding upon white steeds, and with them many fair folk of their land, gray-cloaked with white gems in their hair. Following the Lothlorien party was a smaller one consisting of Elves clad in green and brown, and their leader was so similar to Legolas that Eli immediately deduced that they were the party from Mirkwood, and that the leader was King Thranduil, Legolas' father. And last of all she saw Master Elrond, mighty among Elves and Men, bearing the scepter of Annuminas, and beside him upon a gray palfrey rode Arwen his daughter, Evenstar of her people.

Knowing that they weren't that far off, Eli decided that it was high time she went into the courtyard. She sped down the stairs, thankful for her new Elvish grace, and soon found herself standing in the courtyard, waiting for the arrival of the riding party.

It did not take them too long, and soon Elladan and Elrohir rode in, their banner streaming brilliantly in the wind of the evening. Almost instantly, Elrohir's gaze met hers, and Eli didn't miss the small smile of pleasure that appeared on his face. After exchanging greetings with Aragorn and the others, he immediately came to her, and pulled her into an embrace, ignoring the fact that the rest of the party had just come in and that they were most certainly making a spectacle of themselves.

^It has been long, my love, since I last saw you,^ he whispered as he lightly brushed his lips against hers in a soft kiss.

Eli giggled as she moved back slightly to look at his face. ^Much too long indeed, my love. I have missed you terribly.^

Elrohir peered down at her, and his eyes seemed to narrow slightly in observation. ^You seem a little…different Elisarien. Something has changed about you, I can feel it. What has happened while I was away?^

^I shall not tell you, you must find out for yourself.^ With that, Eli turned, and ran to Arwen. ^Arwen! Oh, it has been too long since we last saw each other!^

Arwen laughed melodiously as she returned her friend's embrace. ^Elisabeth! Indeed, it has been a very long time!^ She moved away from Eli then, and she suddenly uttered a loud gasp. ^By the Valar…Elisabeth, you…you are… But I thought you were-^

^A mortal?^ Eli grinned, and pushed back the locks of hair that were covering her ears. ^When you first met me, I was indeed a mortal, but not any longer. I am an Elf now, just as surely as you are one.^

Arwen's jaw slackened, and she stared at Eli with an extremely stunned look on her face. ^But…Eli…how could that be? Elves can become mortals, but mortals most certainly cannot become Elves! What has happened to you?!^

Eli laughed. ^Tis a long story, my friend, and I shall tell you everything when the celebration winds down a little.^ She grinned wickedly. ^But for now, it seems that you have a wedding to attend to!^

*      *      *

Elrond stared at Eli as she ran off in another direction, this time to join his son, Elrohir. _An Elf?! She is an Elf now?! How could that have happened? _He turned to Aragorn, who was standing to his right. ^Aragorn, what means this strange occurrence? When I last saw Camille and Elisabeth they were but mere mortals, but now they are undoubtedly Elves. What has happened?^

Aragorn chuckled, and replied, ^Tis quite a long story, and it shall all be revealed when there is more time, but I shall tell you a part of it. It would seem that our two Summoners were granted three wishes, and they could wish for anything they desired short of bringing a dead person back to life. But instead of asking anything for themselves, they used their wishes to give us what we, their friends, wanted.^

^Oh? And what would these wishes be?^ Elrond asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Aragorn seemed hesitant to answer, but Elrond knew he would never keep anything from him, and soon he replied, ^For the first two wishes, they asked that Moria and Mirkwood be cleared of all the evil that lies therein, so that the Elves of Mirkwood and the Dwarves of Erebor be spared the trouble of removing Sauron's minions themselves, which would take many years of hard and troublesome work. But as for the last wish…^ he paused a moment, took a deep breath, and replied, ^for the last wish, they asked the Spirits that Merry, Pippin and myself be granted passage to the Blessed Land of the Elves in the West. They wished this as a reward for Merry and Pippin, but as for making such a wish on my behalf…they claimed they did so that Arwen and I would never have to be parted.^

Elrond listened to the tale with amazement and, to a certain extent, relief. _At the very least, it means that Arwen will eventually make the journey to the Blessed Realm, perhaps not with me, but in time, in time…_ He smiled. _What is time to an Elf? And what is the meaning of time in the Blessed Realm? _He placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. ^It seems that the two young ones need my gratitude.^

Aragorn chuckled, and nodded. ^Aye, I suppose you are right. I have not thanked them enough…and I do not think I will ever be grateful enough for what they have given to me and Arwen.^

*      *      *

Elrohir continued to keep his gaze on Eli, trying to discern what was so different with her right now. _I do not understand. Although it pleases my heart that she is more joyful now than ever before, but there is something else…_ Deciding that he could not guess anymore, he approached her, and said, ^My love, you must tell me what is so different about you. I cannot see it.^

Eli laughed, and shook her head. "Jeez, and to think that Arwen was able to see it sooner than you!" She pulled back a few locks of hair, revealing her ears. At first Elrohir didn't see anything different, but then, he noticed, with slowly widening eyes, that her ears were no longer the shell shape of mortals, but the leaf shape of the Elves.

He blinked several times, thinking that the light was only playing tricks on him. _This…this cannot be! It's impossible! _^Eli, are you… You are…^

The smile on her face was tender and loving. ^Aye, my love, I am an Elf now. There is nothing that can go between us now Elrohir. Nothing at all.^

Elrohir stared at her momentarily, but then, the joy and happiness that swelled in his heart broke free. He laughed merrily, and swept Eli into his arms, twirling her around and lifting her slightly into the air. ^Indeed, this is the greatest joy I have ever received in all my immortal life!^ He set her down on her feet again, and smiled tenderly. ^We shall be happy for eternity now, Elisarien. We have time without end to ourselves now, and no bounds shall prevent us from gaining what we desire.^

Eli giggled a little, and she hugged him tight. ^Forever…forever for you and me… I could ask for nothing better.^

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AIIIIIYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, it's nearly OVER!!!!!!! This MASSIVE first-time work is about to be wrapped up!!!! Somehow, it feels kind of sad, because I have kind of built a "bond" with my characters, and closing this will mean closing it off forever. On the other hand, I'm happy because…HELL YEAH, IT'S FINISHED!!!! I have heard requests for a sequel, and I have an idea stewing in my head for one…but I don't know how to write it yet. And I doubt if I WILL write a sequel for THIS epic. Hey, I just dished out 50+ CHAPTERS, and you expect me to write a SEQUEL?!?!? ANYWAY, let's go on to the EPILOGUE!!!  All stories must come to an end, and so must this story of the Summoners, their lives, and their loves. But few know the TRUE ending of this tale, for it has been shrouded in the mists of history. What REALLY happened during the ending of the Tale of the Summoners? Read on my friends, read on!!!!


	52. Epilogue

Epilogue 

Camille sighed as she leaned slightly on the balcony railing, looking out onto the garden below her. She could see her husband there, attempting to teach their children to use a bow and arrow.

She smiled slightly. _My children… _There was Narwen, who was close to eighty years old in mortal years but was physically just eight years old,  her daughter, who had inherited her brown hair but ended up with Legolas' blue eyes; and there was little Calen, her son, just fifty years by mortal measures but looked like an angelic five-year-old, with his father's blonde hair and her dark brown eyes.

She watched as Narwen, under her father's watchful gaze, pulled her miniature bow back, and focused on a target not that far away. The bowstring twanged as she loosed it, and the arrow sped from the bow to hit the target dead center.

Narwen cheered, and was rewarded with a kiss from her doting father. She turned towards the balcony, her blue eyes glowing as she lifted her arm to wave at her. ^Did you see that Mother?! I hit it in the center!^

^You did very well, Narwen! Very, very well!^ she responded from the balcony.

Legolas smiled at her as well, but it was more adoring than anything else. He lifted his arms to her as he approached the balcony. ^Come down, my love! Join us here!^

She laughed at him from her safe perch above. ^And why must I do that?^

^Because I am the King of Greenwood,^ Legolas answered playfully.

^Did you not tell me once before that the Queen of Greenwood should receive anything she should desire, even if she should command her King?^

Legolas' smile became wider, and, she noticed, just a little more seductive. ^Of course, my love, and I meant every word of that promise.^

She laughed. ^So you did. Very well then, you must catch me as I jump down from here.^

Legolas laughed again. They had played this very same game several years back, way before Camille had given birth to Narwen. ^It shall be as you wish, my love. Come down into my arms, sweet one!^

With that, Camille jumped down from the railing of the balcony, and landed in the safety of Legolas' arms. He kissed her quickly before setting her down on the grass of the lawn again.

Calen dashed over to her then, tugging at the hem of her dresses. ^Mother, there is a stranger over there…^

Camille immediately looked up, and noticed a ruggedly dressed man standing at the edge of the lawn. Raising an eyebrow, she approached the man. "Who are you, and what brings you here to Greenwood the Great?"

The man bowed respectfully. "I am a messenger from Gondor, my lady. I come seeking King Legolas of Greenwood, and his wife, Queen Eriol. I come bearing a message from Her Majesty Arwen, Queen of Gondor."

"I am Legolas," Legolas answered as he stepped up behind his wife, "and this is my Queen. What is this message you speak of?"

"Forgive me for my rudeness, Your Majesties," the messenger said as he bowed lower. He reached into his tunic, and brought out a large parchment envelope. "This is a message coming from Minas Tirith."

Camille took the letter slowly from the messenger's hand, but already she felt she knew what it was going to be about. _Could it be…? _She carefully removed the heavy gold seal that was imprinted on the envelope, and pulled out the letter. On it was written just three words, in a flowing and elegant Elvish that she immediately recognized as Arwen's handwriting: _It is time._

A small tremor passed through her as she handed the letter to Legolas, who took one look at it, and understood immediately. 

Camille turned to the messenger. "Thank you for delivering this message. We understand what it means."

The messenger nodded. "It was an honor, Your Majesties. Another messenger was sent to Rivendell, also carrying a letter from Her Majesty Arwen. It was addressed to Lord Elrohir and his wife, Lady Elisarien."

Legolas smiled gratefully. "We thank you for your services, sir. You may remain here in the palace for the night, if you so wish."

The messenger smiled gratefully, and bowed once more before leaving them alone. When he was finally out of earshot, Camille turned to Legolas. ^It seems that our time has come at last. Are you ready?^

Legolas sighed. ^Since I heard the call of the Sea I have always been ready.^ He knelt down so that he was at eye-level with Calen and Narwen, who were looking at the two of them intently. ^Now, listen to me very carefully, little ones. I want you to go to your rooms, and prepare for a long journey. We are going to Minas Tirith soon.^

Narwen smiled at the mention of Minas Tirith. ^We will see Uncle Aragorn and Aunt Arwen again?^

^Yes, we will, Narwen,^ Camille answered as she knelt down in front of her daughter. ^But first, we will wait for your Uncle Elrohir and Aunt Elisarien and Uncle Elladan and Uncle Merry and Uncle Pippin to come. Then we will all go together to Minas Tirith.^

Calen laughed enthusiastically. ^Oh, I cannot wait! That means Mirwen and Elmorion will come too!^ 

^Aye, that is right,^ Legolas replied. He stood up, and nudged them gently towards the palace. ^Now go to your rooms and prepare! They will be coming in a few days' time!^

The two little Elves nodded obediently, and scampered off into the palace of Greenwood, Calen daring his sister to a race by the time they stepped over the threshold.

Camille sighed, and shook her head. _Sometimes I wonder if some of my hard-headedness rubbed off on the two of them. _Her thoughts were banished almost immediately, however, when she felt Legolas' arm slide around her waist. A small smile curled on her lips as she glanced at her husband, who was busily trailing little kisses up and down the side of her throat. ^Well then, I thought that we should prepare for the journey?^

^We shall, but for now, there are a few places I would like to visit with you for the last time before we leave…^ He emphasized his statement by sucking a little harder on the flesh that covered the vein that ran along her neck.

Camille only rolled her eyes and followed Legolas willingly as he led her away to a more secluded part of the palace. 

*      *      *

Eli dismounted quickly from Whitewing's back, and landed on the stone courtyard that stood before the Royal Palace of Greenwood the Great. She stared at it for a moment before turning to her daughter Mirwen, who rode on her own white pony just beside Whitewing. ^Come now Mirwen.^

The little Elf-girl, who was roughly seventy years old if she counted using human years, but was actually just seven years old physically, dismounted from the back of her pony with the same ease and grace of an experienced rider twice her age. She had inherited her father's lovely dark hair, but her eyes were the same hawk-like hazel that was Eli's physical trademark. ^Where are Narwen and Calen, Mother?^

^They are inside, waiting for us,^ Eli replied softly as she took Mirwen by the hand, and watched as Elrohir approached her, Elmorion trailing just behind him. Elmorion was but a mere twenty years younger than Mirwen; his hair was Eli's rippling cinnamon brown, but his eyes were Elrohir's silver-gray. 

Eli smiled slightly as Elrohir reached for her free hand and brushed a gentle kiss over her lips. _All these years, and he still cannot keep himself away from me…_

^Brother, if you must do such things it might be wise not to do it in front of the children.^

Eli looked over Elrohir's shoulder to see Elladan looking at them, a mixture of annoyance and resignation on his face. She laughed lightly, and gently pushed her husband away from her. ^Elladan is right, husband. Restraint might be a wise thing when we have Mirwen and Elmorion around.^ 

Elrohir sighed, and stepped away from her, letting his hand linger upon hers for a moment before finally letting go. ^Aye, aye, I suppose you are right.^

Eli giggled, and gently bumped her hip against Elrohir's as she wandered past towards the entrance of the palace. She called to her children. ^Come along, Mirwen, Elmorion! I feel that your Aunt Eriol and Uncle Legolas will be more than pleased to see you.^

In the blink of an eye, the two little Elves were walking on either side of her, Mirwen on her right, Elmorion on her left. Just behind them walked Elrohir and Elladan. They wandered through the palace, knowing the layout of the place anyway, until they reached the private receiving room of the King and Queen of Greenwood. The door was open, and Eli could see Legolas and Camille looking at a few papers, while their children, Narwen and Calen, played around on the floor not that far away.

Upon sighting their playmates, Mirwen and Elmorion left her side, and went over to Narwen and Calen. Soon, all four were out in the sunny gardens, playing a vigorous game of tag. Of course, most Elves would have been surprised to see Narwen and Mirwen participating in such a game, but Eli and Camille would have it no other way. They raised their daughters to be independent and strong, and nothing and no one would convince them to do otherwise.

But for now, there was some greeting to be done. Eli grinned as she approached Camille, and hugged her. "Been a long time, Camille. How's everything going over here?"

Camille smiled back, and shrugged. "Oh, you know, the usual: tend to state affairs, watch the Two Terrors grow up…"

Legolas looked up at them then, a mock-hurt expression on his face. "They are not Two Terrors!"

Camille laughed. "Try keeping them together in a room for more than two hours, and watch as they begin the Fall of Armageddon! You can only talk like that because YOU'RE not the one who has to handle them all the time."

"I feel the same way," Eli replied with a roll of her eyes. She nodded towards the four playing Elf-children outside. "Elmorion throws the most horrid temper tantrums, and Mirwen…she's got the WORST mood swings I've ever had the privilege of knowing! And she's only SEVENTY YEARS OLD, for crying out loud! I didn't expect mood swings until she was around a hundred and fifty or so!"

Elrohir chuckled. "Well then, such moodiness did not come from MY side of the family."

"I do not think so," Elladan said with a bemused smile. "You very well know that Arwen and yourself are quite temperamental sometimes. That, I suppose, you got from Mother's side of the family."

Camille laughed. "What, then does that mean Lady Galadriel is temperamental? Now THAT is something I want to see!"

"It happens. Especially when she catches Grandfather drunk," Elrohir remarked.

Eli felt her eyebrow shoot up. _Lord Celeborn? Drunk? _"Wait a second, did you just say the words 'Grandfather' and 'drunk' in one sentence? Lord Celeborn and drunkenness just DO NOT mix."

"They do," Elladan answered with a nod. "It happens on occasion, but not often enough that the people of Lothlorien think it a normal occurrence. Aside from that, Grandmother attempts to hide Grandfather from the people when he is in such a state."

"Oh." 

Just then, there was the pitter-patter of feet from the hall outside, and Eli smiled as she watched Merry and Pippin step into the receiving room. "Well, you got here pretty quickly."

Pippin grinned broadly at her, the smile still no different even after eighty years. "We happened to be in Minas Tirith, and getting to Ithilien from there was not difficult."

Legolas nodded slowly. "Aye, the roads have improved dramatically since the time of the War." He turned towards the window. "Many things have changed."

Eli sighed, and nodded. "True, many things HAVE changed." She smiled slightly as she looked at her companions. "And many things are going to change for US soon."

*      *      *

The Palace of Minas Tirith was quiet and somber, which was not usually the case since the end of the War of the Ring, and especially not during springtime. 

But this particular springtime was different. The King Elessar, it was said, was about to lay down his life in the manner of the great Kings of the West, and his people were grieved to know about it. But the King claimed that he was weary of the world, and that it was his time to go where no living Men walked. It was not that the people disapproved of his heir – quite the contrary, since Eldarion was a strong warrior and a wise and just leader – but it was that they would sorely miss the presence of the King Elessar in their midst.

On the eve of the Spring Carnival, which was normally a time of merry revelry all around the Palace, the friends of King Elessar arrived from Ithilien: the King and Queen of Greenwood with their son and daughter; the Lords and Lady of Imladris, also with their children; the Perian Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took; and lastly, the Lord of the Glittering Caves. 

The friends of the King were silent and somber-faced as the entered the chamber where the King lay. Long they stayed there, and it was rumored that they were taking final counsel with King Elessar, for it was a well-known fact to all that they were very good friends. 

The friends of the King emerged from the chamber only at the dawn of the morning, and they seemed grimmer and sadder than they did when they entered. In their company went the Queen Arwen, and she spoke not to anyone, and hid her face from the people. After bidding a few final words to Eldarion and her daughters, she mounted a horse and left the City in the company of the friends of the King. Popular rumor claimed that she had decided to go with her brothers, the Lords of Imladris, to look upon their home one last time before she too took the journey her husband did.

And so it was that while the City of Minas Tirith grieved the loss of both King and Queen, a small group of riders arrived at the havens at the Mouths of Anduin, and boarded a gray ship with silver sails. Those in the havens watched as the wind filled the sails and billowed them out to their fullest span, and soon, the gray ship was out of sight, disappearing in the west in a flash of light as the sun glinted off the sails. That was the last that the mortal men of Middle-Earth saw of the Summoners and the Fellowship of the Ring.

*      *      *

Camille waited until they were fully out of sight from land, and turned to Glorfindel, who was standing at the helm. ^Is it safe?^

Glorfindel looked back towards land, his eyes squinting a little, and then he smiled, and nodded. ^Aye, it is safe. At this distance, even the Palantir would be useless without the help of an Istar.^

Camille grinned evilly. "Alright, if you say so!" She headed below deck, and knocked on the door there. "Hey Aragorn, rise and shine! There's no way they can catch a glimpse of you now, even with the Palantir!"

There was a bit of rustling and stumbling around inside, and at last, the door opened, revealing a rather haggard-looking Aragorn. He smiled slightly at her as he followed her up to the deck. "Are you certain they will not be able to see us?"

Celeborn walked up to them then, and there was a small smile on his face. "They will not. Even the power of the Palantir cannot extend this far out to sea."

Arwen approached them then, willingly sliding her arm into the crook of Aragorn's. "That is good, then. I do not think the people of Minas Tirith will appreciate the fact that their King still lives and is going where no other mortals are allowed to go."

Eli shrugged flippantly as she walked up to them, her hair fluttering in the sea breeze. "Well that's not our fault. Camille and I couldn't exactly extend our wishes to encompass everyone, you know. I don't think the Elves in Valinor would appreciate it if they were allowed to go. They had enough to deal with Earendil already!"

There was a frown on Elrohir's face then as he embraced his wife from behind. "Do not say such things of my grandfather, my love. You will be meeting him soon enough."

Camille just laughed as she walked away from them, heading towards the prow of the ship. There she found Calen, Mirwen, Narwen and Elmorion, once more playing a game of tag, under the watchful eyes of Elladan and Legolas.

Legolas smiled as she walked by, catching her hand in his and tugging her close. ^Stay with me a while…^

^Legolas, we can do this AFTER we get to Valinor,^ Camille answered flippantly as she pulled away from Legolas for a while, and stood at the prow of the ship. She looked straight ahead, waiting, watching…

At last, it seemed as though a mist was lifted from around them, and the sun shone down more brightly than before. Before them was a haven, with fleet upon fleet of white ships glistening like ivory in the sun. As the wind pushed them swiftly closer, she could see many Elven figures standing upon the wharf, waiting for them.

Calen, who had appeared at her side then, pointed, a large smile on his face. ^Mother, look! I can see Grandfather, and Great-grandmother, and Gandalf, and Uncle Frodo and Uncle Sam!^

Narwen laughed in delight. ^It is so beautiful! Are we going to stay here forever?^

Camille laughed as well, and nodded, taking the hands of her two children. ^Aye, little ones. We will stay there, in Valinor and be happy…forever.^

And so it was that the Summoners and the remainder of those who were involved in the War of the Ring passed into the West, never to be heard from again, until the world was changed.

~FIN~

AUTHOR'S NOTES: IT'S DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And although I know I should be celebrating because it's done, I feel kind of depressed. I've grown quite fond of Camille and Eli, and although the way I ended this WAS a happy ending, what with the whole gang still alive and well, I just feel like it was not enough. I REALLY am going to miss Camille and Eli sniffles. But hey, it was a fantastic journey with them, and I feel pretty good about it.

SEQUEL: There IS a possibility for a sequel. In fact, the idea has fully stewed, and it's just WAITING to be written, but I won't probably write it right away (hey, that rhymes ^_^). I will put up a few other stories before the sequel. But what is the sequel going to be about, you wonder? Okay, I'll tell you a little about it. You remember the part wherein Eli said goodbye to her sister Julie, and Julie wished she could go to Middle-Earth? Well, the sequel is all about that happening. And not just to Julie, but to Max as well. There's havoc once more in Middle-Earth, but the time of the Summoners is over and gone, and the Fellowship no longer exists. What happens if Max and Julie are brought into Middle-Earth (or Valinor, I'm still playing with the idea), and are made into the new Summoners? What if the evil is actually nothing like Sauron, but something higher, and more powerful…something along the lines of the Four Great Spirits themselves? And what if this Spirit had a Summoner of his own? The previous Summoners and the Fellowship, along with the new Summoners, are forced to return to Middle-Earth to deal with this new and powerful evil. Weird? You betcha! Hard to write? Definitely _. And if you're wondering about "romantic aspects", there's going to be quite a lot in here. Elladan is DEFINITELY in, and I am still toying between giving Glorfindel his own romance or throwing in Gil-galad (THAT was the influence of the people on the UCMEC mailing list, particularly Nemis ^_~). Anyway, keep an eye out for THIS little work when I post it up ^_^.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: I have MANY stories waiting in the wings, and I don't know which one to post. One of the likelier ones is probably "Daughters of Valinor", which is a little fic I am writing dedicated to the members of the UCMEC ML. Another one is "The Exiles", a crossover of one of my original fantasy stories with LOTR (and more than likely to become a Glorfindel romance, if things proceed the way I believe they will). Anyway, just watch out for these, people, especially "Daughters of Valinor"!


	53. Author's Explanations

A REALLY Long Author's Note: Questions that need answering.

It has been a long, long time since I finally wrapped up "The Summoners", and ever since then I have received a lot of questions that have asked (thankfully in a very polite manner) for answers. Although this little appendix goes against all the rules that I have set for myself when it comes to writing fanfiction, I have decided that it is necessary, what with all the questions that are brought up on the review page on a regular basis.

To those who have asked questions, I hope that this will satisfy your curiosity and clear up anything that may have seemed foggy in my writing. 

1. _Is there really a "Prophecy of the Summoners?"_

~ No, there isn't. The first two stanzas of the Prophecy were taken from the original poem written by Tolkien concerning the Rings of Power. Everything else that follows right after is my creation. Why was it so? Well, in the process of conceptualizing the story I had to give a good reason as to why these girls suddenly showed up in Middle-Earth, and the best way to introduce that was through a prophecy that declared they were going to show up soon. The "Lore of the Rings", as it has come to be known to some people, was well known to almost every major Elven leader in Middle-Earth, King Thranduil included. Which was why I thought it quite plausible that King Thranduil would have his own suspicions concerning the identity of Camille when Legolas first brought her in (check out the first few chapters of this fic to see what I mean).

2. _Is your name Camille Selvitar/Elisabeth Carnahan?_

~ My answer is "no" on both counts. While Elisabeth Carnahan and Camille Selvitar are interesting names, neither of them are my real names (what my real name is I will not tell ^_~). The name "Camille" is my second name, but Selvitar is a name I made up on my own. Whether a real "Camille Selvitar" exists out there is something that has not come to my knowledge as of the moment. 

As for Elisabeth, well…her nickname, "Eli", is the nickname of one of my best high school friends in real life. I wrote her nickname in first, but midway while writing I realized that "Eli" as is isn't a very good given name, so I added a few more letters and came up with the name "Elisabeth". Carnahan was a name I picked out at random out of a newspaper (which just goes to show you that the process of name choosing isn't as glamorous as it seems to be ^^;).

3. _Isn't Frodo supposed to be Bilbo's cousin and not his nephew? _

~ Actually, Frodo is both Bilbo's cousin AND his nephew. The reason why is too confusing for me to explain by myself, but if any of you have doubts, I suggest you read the first few chapters of _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, _paying close attention to the chapters that deal with the relationship of Bilbo and Frodo and how Frodo came under Bilbo's protection.Tolkien explained it better than I ever could, and putting it in a Hobbit's mouth makes it a whole lot easier to understand. If I tried to explain it myself I'd just botch it up. For the fic, I decided that it would be nicer if Frodo referred to Bilbo as his uncle, and not his cousin. After all, the age differences are big enough to allow for it.

4. _Didn't the Fellowship start out ONE MONTH after the Council, and not TWO? _

~ No, the Fellowship left Rivendell EXACTLY (down to the day, in fact) two months after the Council of Elrond. If you will check out the timeline written in the Appendix of "The Return of the King" you will see that Frodo woke up on October 24, and that the Council started THE NEXT DAY – October 25. Directly below that entry (if you're looking at the timeline written in the book), you will see that the date of the Fellowship's departure is December 25 – exactly TWO MONTHS after the Council of Elrond. Which was why I inserted the "Christmas on the Road" chapter: because December 25 is, after all, Christmas here in our world.

5. _Elrond didn't choose the Nine Walkers – they just happened to be nine. _

~ Actually, Elrond DID intend that there be Nine Walkers. Some fics have actually explained this detail, and Tolkien does the same too, though in which book I cannot quite remember. Overall, both fics and Tolkien seem to agree that the reason Elrond wanted Nine Walkers was because they needed to compete against the Nine Nazgul (Ringwraiths) of Sauron. Something like a Law of Symmetry in literature – if one side has this number of people, the other side must have the same number too. 

Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence in _The Fellowship of the Rings _to point out that Elrond wanted Nine Walkers. Merry and Pippin didn't actually hop out the way they did in the movie – they weren't even hiding at the Council to begin with (only Sam did that in the books). The last two Walkers were supposed to be Elves that Elrond and/or Gandalf would choose themselves – in the books, there was much talk of letting Glorfindel go with them. But somehow, Merry and Pippin got wind of Frodo leaving, and when they did, they insisted that they should go. Elrond was hesitant at first, but Gandalf managed to convince him to let the two Hobbits stay on. Thus was produced the Fellowship of the Ring with nine members.

And as for this fic, well…obviously they went over nine ^^;. However, I'd like to think that Eli and Camille weren't REALLY members of the Fellowship. After all, they were going along only because they wanted to get home – but that was initially, of course. Later on they were considered to be TRUE members of the Fellowship.

6. _In the scene wherein the Fellowship was walking along Caradhras, how come Aragorn didn't get buried, but Camille and Eli did? _

~ This is more of a question of points-of-view, I think, than anything else. Since this part of the story was told in Eli's POV, of course everything would be told from the way she viewed the entire scenario. And since in her scenario she got buried under a ton of snow and then blacked out right after, she wouldn't really know what happened to the others now, would she? This part was based on the movie, though, so I kind of thought that everyone would get my drift even if I didn't put down what happened to Aragorn and the others explicitly ^^;.

7. _How come Arwen only carries a bow and arrow? Isn't she supposed to be carrying a sword? _

~ Actually, Arwen isn't supposed to carry either one. The way Tolkien described her, she is more of the "stay-at-home" type of woman than anything else. She never went on any adventuring by herself, since it seems that the culture of Middle-Earth (at least the way it was presented in the books) was more patriarchal than anything else. Thus, Tolkien's Arwen couldn't actually have held a bow or a sword in her lifetime. In fact, in the Trilogy the ONLY tough girl is Eowyn (read _The Two Towers _and _The Return of the King _for more details).

However, in the making of the movie, it was a decision on the part of the producers and the director to make Arwen more of a tough-chick than the way Tolkien portrayed her. Thus, we got Peter Jackson's Arwen: cool under pressure, still beautiful while being tough at the same time. 

In this fic, however, I wanted to make a cross of the tough-chick of the movie and the traditional maiden of the book. In my opinion, the best way to do it was to let Arwen use a bow and arrow instead of a sword. The bow is not as masculine a weapon as a sword, but it's better than not knowing how to defend oneself. 

8. _What about the "Lost Chapters?"_

~ That is still not sure. While I am still open to people writing for it (see Chapter 46 for more details on the fic challenge), I don't know when, or more precisely WHERE I'm going to post them. I'm still waiting for my friend to finish making that website for me, and when it's done, I will happily inform all of you on the URL to tell you where the Lost Chapters can be found ^_^.

9. _What was the purpose of the circlets that Camille and Eli wore during that feast at the Field of Cormallen? _

~ The circlets were supposed to be symbols of high honor for them, especially after what they did at Barad-dur. As Elrohir said, the circlets were gifts from Aragorn and the people of Gondor, as a way of thanking them for their deeds during the War of the Ring (see Chapter 47 for the complete details on what they did).

10. _How come the name of Mirkwood changed to Greenwood during the Epilogue? _

~ Because it DID change – at least in the books. Mirkwood's name was originally Greenwood the Great, but when all the evil things started creeping into Greenwood, everyone started calling it "Mirkwood". But at the end of the War, when all the evil things were cleared out, Mirkwood was once more renamed Greenwood. If I am not mistaken, Treebeard calls Mirkwood "Greenwood the Great" somewhere in the Trilogy, as does Celeborn. I just don't remember where.

11. _Where are Camille and Eli from?_

~ Actually, that's a secret ^_~. Judging from the names, I'd say that they were from Europe or possibly America, but given their sword fighting styles, I'd say that they were brought up in Japan or China. It all depends on what you think, though. However, take a look at the description of their clothes when they first came into Middle-Earth (hint: it's in Chapter 4 or 5). That is the same exact uniform I used to wear when I was in high school. Think you know where they're from? Send your guesses over to my email address with the subject heading **"The Original Characters' Nationalities** and I'll tell you if you're right or wrong.


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